China freed Australian journalist Cheng Lei, who has returned home to her family, Australian PM Anthony Albanese announced Wednesday. The move comes after Lei spent more than three years in detention on espionage charges.
Comments from Australia
“We are pleased to confirm that Australian citizen Ms Cheng Lei has arrived safely home in Australia and has been reunited with her family,” Albanese said in a statement.
“Her return will be warmly welcomed not just by her family and friends but by all Australians,” he added.
The PM further said that Canberra had been seeking Cheng’s release since her detention in August 2020, and the latest move “follows the completion of legal processes in China.”
He assured that his government “will continue to provide whatever consular support Ms Cheng and her family require.”
All Australians will be relieved to hear that Ms Cheng Lei has returned to her family after more than three years apart.
— Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong) October 11, 2023
The Government has consistently advocated for Ms Cheng since her detention in August 2020.
An honour to welcome her home to Australia today. pic.twitter.com/qIANwN7J2T
Detention
Cheng, who is a former business anchor for China’s state broadcaster CGTN, was accused of illegally supplying state secrets overseas, in violation of the confidentiality agreement she signed with her employer. The charge carries a possible sentence of between five years to life in prison.
She was taken by China’s Ministry of State Security on her way to work on the morning of August 13, 2020, according to her partner Nick Coyle.
Throughout her three years of detention, Beijing did not reveal the details of the allegations against her. Moreover, the Chinese court also delayed handing down a verdict multiple times.
Diplomatic Thaw
National security-related cases in China are typically tried behind closed doors. In Cheng’s case, the lack of transparency was also set against the backdrop of deteriorating relations between the two countries, which prompted analysts to speculate that the charges may be politically motivated.
Her return to Australia hints at a diplomatic thawing of ties between Canberra and Beijing, which have been terse in recent years.