CANBERRA, Australia – An Australian journalist of Chinese origin running for Chinese state television was arrested by Chinese authorities, the Australian government said.
Australian officials made a consular stopover on a video link with Cheng Lei to a detention centre last Thursday, Foreign Minister Marise Payne said Monday and will continue to provide assistance and assistance to him and his family, Payne said.
Australia had been informed through the Chinese government on 14 August of her arrest, but made public her first time on Monday.
The Australian government said it knew why she had been arrested and refused to give additional information, which raised confidentiality concerns.Cheng worked for CGTN, the English channel of Central Television in China,
On Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said she had no information about Cheng’s situation, but accused Canberra of giving in to “pressure from allies,” in an obvious reference to Cheng’s main rival. China, United States.
Cheng’s arrest comes amid a primary slowdown in China with Australia, a major source of herbal resources needed for his manufacturing-based economy, but also a close best friend of the United States, with whom China participates in a festival for army dominance in the country.South China Sea among other stress resources.
Australia-China ties have soured in recent years due to unrest ranging from access to the market of Chinese generation giant Huawei, allegations of Chinese interference in Australian domestic politics and canberra’s for an indefinite investigation into the cause of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is believed to have begun in the city of Wuhan.Central China at the end of last year.
“I would also like to emphasize that China is acting in accordance with the law, unlike some countries, we will not give in to the pressure of allies and will have no illegal interaction in the call of the law,” Hua told reporters in a briefing..
Cheng had not yet been charged with being detained under what is known as “residential surveillance in a designated location,” Australian media reported on Tuesday.
It is a form of detention in which investigators can imprison and interrogate a suspect for up to six months of formal detention.
Cheng’s two young men are with members of the family circle in the Australian city of Melbourne.
“As a circle of family members, we are aware of the existing scenario related to Cheng Lei’s status, as requested through the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade,” the circle of relatives said in a statement, adding that they looked forward to a timely conclusion of the case.
“In China, due process will be observed,” the circle of relatives said.
Trade Minister Simon Birmingham said Tuesday that the government knew why Cheng had been arrested.
“We glaringly have interaction where we can with Ms. Cheng Lei,” Birmingham told Nine Network TV.
“We will continue Array … to as productive pictures as we can to give him and his circle of family assistance what is undoubtedly a stressful and complicated time for them,” he added.
Australia warned its citizens in July of a threat of arbitrary detention in China, as flexible industry partners have soured in recent years.China ruled out caution as misinformation.
Australia has criticized China for accusing Chinese-Australian spy novelist Yang Hengjun of espionage in March, who has been detained since January of the year.
Australian Karm Gilespie was sentenced to death in China in June, seven years after his arrest and accused of attempting to board a foreign flight containing more than 7.5 kilograms (16.5 pounds) of methamphetamine.crime similar to the bilateral rupture.
Cheng is a presenter of CGTN’s BizAsia program, was born in China and worked in finance in Australia before returning to China and starting a career in CCTV journalism in Beijing in 2003.
He reported on major Chinese events, the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2010 Shanghai World’s Fair.
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