Disappeared Australian journalist arrested in China for supplying state secrets

Cheng Lei, a familiar face on CGTN’s English-language channel, had disappeared
from the Chinese state television’s airwaves six months ago without an
explanation after being detained by Beijing authorities. She has formally been
arrested on February 5 for “supplying state secrets overseas”, AFP reported.

The mother-of-two stands accused of “illegally supplying state
secrets overseas”, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said in a
statement, without providing details.

Lei had written a number of Facebook posts critical of Chinese President
Xi Jinping and Beijing’s approach to the coronavirus outbreak. Her detention has
come weeks after Australian authorities raided the homes of Chinese state media
journalists.

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Lei was born in Hunan province, China but is now an Australian national.
Since China does not allow citizens to hold dual nationality, Lei could face
severe punishment.

Spokesman Wang Wenbin called for Australia to “respect China’s
judicial sovereignty and stop interfering in China’s handling of the
case.”

The timing of Lei’s arrest has raised speculations of it being
politically motivated, as it came when relations between Australia and China
are in a tough spot.

Beijing has reacted angrily to Australia’s liberal use of foreign
interference laws to block Chinese investment in sensitive sectors and their
call to launch an independent probe into the origins of coronavirus pandemic.

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Payne said the Australian government had visited Cheng six times since
she was detained and had “serious concerns” about her “welfare
and conditions of detention”.

Cheng is the second high-profile Australian citizen to be held in
Beijing, after writer Yang Hengjun was arrested in January 2019 on suspicion of
espionage.Months after Cheng’s detention, Chinese authorities had also detained
a Bloomberg News employee, Haze Fan, also on allegations of endangering
national security.