Sons of Imprisoned Australian-Chinese Writer Ask PM for ‘2nd Miracle’ Ahead of Beijing Visit

In this 2017 photo provided by his family, Yang Hengjun, left, poses with his family member in Beijing. Yang Family Photo via AP

The sons of detained Australian-Chinese writer Yang Hengjun have written a heartfelt letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese ahead of his trip to Beijing.

Mr. Yang, 57, has been in prison for nearly five years after being arrested by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 2019 for alleged espionage, which he strongly denies.

His family said the risk of their father being left to die from medical neglect is clear to anyone who has read a recent consular report.

‘Return Him Immediately’

Inspired by the recent release of journalist Cheng Lei, Mr. Yang’s sons are pleading with Mr. Albanese, Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Ambassador Graham Fletcher to achieve a “second miracle” by saving their father.

The sons asked Mr. Albanese to act now, in the “narrow opportunity” before his departure to China, noting the prime minister will be hosted by the Chinese regime just a few kilometres away from the prison.

“We request that you do all in your power to save our father’s life and return him immediately to family and freedom in Australia,” they said.

“We ask that you make clear that it is not possible to stabilize the bilateral relationship with a government that is holding an Australian citizen just a few kilometres south of where you will be hosted.”

Mr. Albanese will meet with various Chinese officials from Nov. 4 to 7, marking the first visit by an Australian prime minister to China since 2016.

Australian writer Yang Hengjun wishes Happy New Year to his Twitter followers at an unidentified location in this still image from an undated video obtained via social media. Twitter@yanghengjun via Reuters

Declining Health

Mr. Yang’s sons said the consular report, forwarded to the family by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, shows “a system that is jeopardizing the health of an Australian citizen in the prime of his life, who may be dying.”

“We noted that Dr. Yang’s physical condition had declined, he looked pale and had lost weight. When asked about his health, Dr. Yang said that for the past six months, his health condition had declined but in the last four weeks his health had rapidly declined, and he had trouble standing and had collapsed several times,” the letter said.

“He said for the past three weeks he couldn’t walk and remained basically bedridden and even had difficulty walking four metres from his bed to the toilet in his cell.”

Mr. Yang penned a letter from jail to his sons, the first he has been able to send from jail. This letter was received last week.

His sons noted “Dad lives to read and write” but has been deprived of doing either for nearly five years. A lot of letters from family and friends have not been delivered.

This has only started to change in very recent months, ahead of the prime minister’s visit, they highlighted. The sons said Mr. Yang is in jail because he represents truth, democracy, and the respectful exchange of rational ideas.

Yang Hengjun’s Words

In a letter to his family, which was shared with the prime minister and released publicly, Mr. Yang noted he has not been convicted yet.

He said, “According to Chinese law, I am still innocent, yet I have been locked up for more than four years, and I am almost destroyed.”

“In fact, anyone with a little bit of sense and rationality can observe that the progress of China, and indeed of any people or country in the world, has always depended on the free expressions of opinions and criticisms that promote progress and improvement,” he wrote.

Mr. Yang, a novelist and pro-democracy writer, immigrated to Australia in 1999. He is known for his blog rallying against the corruption of Beijing’s political system in his blog.

“What I am most proud of so far is that almost all of the 20 million words I have written have been published on the Chinese internet,” Mr. Yang wrote to his family.

“Every one of my articles, any one of the paragraphs I have written, can withstand the judgement of the law, the hearts of the men and of history, and every one of them has attempted to contribute to the wellbeing of the people and the wealth and strength of the nation. If you don’t agree, please set up a universal court to judge me for writing any one of my articles.”

Mr. Yang said he has not enjoyed any direct sunlight for more than four years.

“At most, some rays of sunlight occasionally come through one or two panes of glass and flicker fitfully,” he said.

“On the iron door, this is a hole a little wider than a hook. My meals are delivered three times a day through this hole.”

In 2019, Mr. Yang was detained at Guangzhou airport before being formally arrested in August that year.

The charges against Mr. Yang have not been publicly released by the CCP and a court trial was held in secret in May 2021, where Ambassador Fletcher was denied access.

Australian Ambassador to China Graham Fletcher (L) walks out from an entrance to the Beijing Second Intermediate People's Court after being refused access to the trial of Australian academic Yang Jun, also known as Yang Hengjun, on espionage charges in Beijing on May 27, 2021. Nicolas Asfouri/AFP via Getty Images

Supporters of Mr. Yang claim the CCP is politically persecuting Mr. Yang due to his human rights stance.

Mr. Albanese plans to meet with CCP leader Xi Jinping on Nov. 6. Also in Beijing, Mr. Albanese will meet Premier Li Qiang. He will also attend the China International Import Expo in Shanghai.

Asked if he will bring up the issue of Mr. Yang when he arrives in China, Mr. Albanese said the Australian government always raises cases of Australian citizens.

“We have raised concerns, including at meetings I’ve had in the past with President Xi. Australia will always raise cases involving Australian citizens,” Mr. Albanese said.

“We’re very pleased that Cheng Lei has been able to be rejoined with her daughters and her family in Melbourne. That was a good outcome. But we always raise cases of Australian citizens.”

Mr. Albanese said he had received the letter and responded to the family.

Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Birmingham, speaking at a media doorstop in Sydney on Nov. 1, said, “Australians won’t believe that the Australia-China relationship has been properly stabilised, whilst an Australian citizen continues to suffer indefinite and arbitrary detention in Chinese jails.

“So, it’s critical that this progress is achieved, that we see certainty for Dr. Yang, the release of Dr. Yang, his safe return to Australia, his ability to access medical treatment because those things are a precondition in the minds, I think, of all Australians for seeing any type of full stabilisation in the Australia-China relationship.”