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AFP
Sydney
Two Australian journalists fled China Tuesday under diplomatic protection amid rapidly deteriorating relations between Beijing and Canberra, as the United States warned that the situation for foreign reporters in the country could get worse.
Their dramatic overnight exit came following days of secret wrangling that had seen both men holed up in Australia’s diplomatic missions to escape the clutches of China’s feared security police.
Bill Birtles and Michael Smith had to consent to questioning before they were allowed to leave China, shepherded out of the country on a late-night flight by Australian diplomats.
Both men were quizzed about fellow Australian journalist Cheng Lei, who has been detained since last month.
Beijing acknowledged Tuesday for the first time that she was being held on national security grounds -- a broad category that can include crimes resulting in lengthy prison sentences.
Birtles, who works for public broadcaster ABC, said Tuesday his “interrogation” in a hotel room had touched on Cheng’s case, but that he did not think that was its primary objective.
“I believe that the whole episode was really one more of harassment of the remaining Australian journalists, rather than a genuine effort to try and get anything useful for that case,” he told ABC.
China confirmed the two men had been questioned, but insisted the move had been legitimate.
“As long as foreign journalists obey the law... they have no reason to worry,” foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said in Beijing.
The United States said Tuesday that it had been informed by China’s foreign ministry of unspecified tighter rules for foreign media.
Reporters Without Borders said at least 19 foreign correspondents have been forced to leave China this year and said the move “increasingly threatens the international community’s right to be informed”.
The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of China said the two Australians’ ordeal marked “a significant escalation” by Beijing and warned that foreign journalists “now face the threat of arbitrary detention for simply doing their work”.
Author and former China correspondent Richard McGregor said the incident “marks a new low”.
“Other countries grappling with China will take note. If their bilateral relationship deteriorates, then their own nationals will be in the firing line as well,” he said.
Sydney
Two Australian journalists fled China Tuesday under diplomatic protection amid rapidly deteriorating relations between Beijing and Canberra, as the United States warned that the situation for foreign reporters in the country could get worse.
Their dramatic overnight exit came following days of secret wrangling that had seen both men holed up in Australia’s diplomatic missions to escape the clutches of China’s feared security police.
Bill Birtles and Michael Smith had to consent to questioning before they were allowed to leave China, shepherded out of the country on a late-night flight by Australian diplomats.
Both men were quizzed about fellow Australian journalist Cheng Lei, who has been detained since last month.
Beijing acknowledged Tuesday for the first time that she was being held on national security grounds -- a broad category that can include crimes resulting in lengthy prison sentences.
Birtles, who works for public broadcaster ABC, said Tuesday his “interrogation” in a hotel room had touched on Cheng’s case, but that he did not think that was its primary objective.
“I believe that the whole episode was really one more of harassment of the remaining Australian journalists, rather than a genuine effort to try and get anything useful for that case,” he told ABC.
China confirmed the two men had been questioned, but insisted the move had been legitimate.
“As long as foreign journalists obey the law... they have no reason to worry,” foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said in Beijing.
The United States said Tuesday that it had been informed by China’s foreign ministry of unspecified tighter rules for foreign media.
Reporters Without Borders said at least 19 foreign correspondents have been forced to leave China this year and said the move “increasingly threatens the international community’s right to be informed”.
The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of China said the two Australians’ ordeal marked “a significant escalation” by Beijing and warned that foreign journalists “now face the threat of arbitrary detention for simply doing their work”.
Author and former China correspondent Richard McGregor said the incident “marks a new low”.
“Other countries grappling with China will take note. If their bilateral relationship deteriorates, then their own nationals will be in the firing line as well,” he said.
