Government Unable to Say if Progress Made on Journalist Detained in Chinese Prison

Questions of release come after Beijing lift's barley trade tariffs

Australian journalist Cheng Lei is seen in Beijing, China, in this still image taken from undated video footage. Australia Global Alumni-Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade/Handout via REUTERS

The Albanese government has made no progress on getting detained Australian journalist Cheng Lei released from China despite increasing diplomatic engagements with Beijing.

Minister for Trade Don Farrell told ABC Radio National on Aug. 7 that it was “terrible” that Ms. Cheng and fellow Australian Yang Hengjun remain detained in China.

However, he could not say if there was any sign that, under the current diplomatic thaw, the Chinese communist authorities would consider their release.

“It’s a terrible situation that they should be under arrest in China,” Mr. Farrell said.

“In all of my discussions with my counterpart, I’ve raised the issue, and I know the prime minister and the foreign minister have done the same. We continue to make representations on behalf of those individuals and keep our fingers crossed that we can resolve those issues.”

3rd Anniversary of Detention Approaches

The comments from the minister come just days before the third anniversary of Ms. Cheng’s detention on charges of “illegally supplying state secrets overseas.”

She had been working at the time of her arrest as a news anchor for China Global Television Network and was in prison for 19 months prior to her closed-door trial in 2022. Ms. Cheng is still awaiting the outcome of those proceedings.

Cheng’s two young children and family reside in the southern Australian city of Melbourne in Victoria. But, according to her partner, Nick Coyle, she has not been able to contact them regularly.

CCP authorities have regularly denied Australian consulate staff contact with Ms. Cheng, with Mr. Coyle revealing that the journalist has only had two face-to-face consular visits during the 1,093 days in detention.

Court officials and police turn away Australian Ambassador to China Graham Fletcher (left) as he tries to enter the trial of Chinese Australian journalist Cheng Lei at the Beijing Number 2 Intermediate People’s Court in Beijing, China, on March 31, 2022. Kevin Frayer/Getty Images

The Epoch Times has contacted the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for comment on this issue.

Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said on Aug. 4 that the Australian government shared the concerns of her family and friends at the continued delays in her case.

“We are approaching, I think, three years of detention,” Senator Wong told reporters.

“We will continue to advocate at all levels for Ms. Cheng Lei and Dr. Yang to be reunited with their families. We will continue to do that, as we have done at my level, at the prime minister’s level, and at the official level.”

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong meets with Australian Ambassador to China Graham Fletcher at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China, on Dec. 21, 2022. AAP Image/Lukas Coch

Dr. Yang has spent four years in prison in China.

Bipartisan Support for Push to Release Cheng Lei

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister Senator Simon Birmingham, in a statement released in May, said it was time for the Chinese authorities to close the case and restore Ms. Cheng’s freedom.

“It is impossible for any of us outside this situation to imagine the physical and emotional trauma of being detained for such a long period of time,” they said.

“After 1,000 days of unjust detention, it is time the Chinese government closed Ms. Cheng’s case, restored her freedom, and allowed her to return home to her family.”