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☆ Chinese officials’ attempt to ‘block’ formerly detained journalist mars Australia goodwill tour
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-17 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | Angus Watson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s four-day visit to Australia this week was set to be focused on repairing long-strained relations between the two countries. But apparent efforts by Chinese officials to stand in front of an Australian reporter during a press briefing have shone a spotlight back on frictions between the countries. Beijing has also long been condemned by Western nations and rights groups for wrongful and arbitrary detentions. 2 official, to Australia is the highest-level trip to a US-allied country of any Chinese official in seven years. Speaking alongside Li following the signing ceremony, Albanese called the visit “another important step in stabilizing” the relationship.

Persons: Li Qiang’s, Cheng Lei, Li, Anthony Albanese, Cheng, I’m, ” Cheng, Albanese, ”, Yang Hengjun, Yang, Li Qiang, Lukas Coch, ” Li, Scott Morrison Organizations: CNN, Sky News Australia, Australian, Sky News, Guardian, Daily Telegraph, CGTN, Australia's, AP Pandas, Sunday, Adelaide Zoo, New Zealand Locations: Australia, China, Canberra, Beijing, Australian, US, “, New, Chinese

The decision scraps duties as high as 218% on Australian wine exports to China, its largest overseas market once worth more than 1 billion Australian dollars ($653 million). The Australian government said it welcomed Beijing’s decision “which comes at a critical time for the Australian wine industry.”“Since 2020, China’s duties on Australian wine effectively made it unviable for Australian producers to export bottled wine to that market,” the statement read. “There are a lot of people in the Australian wine industry who will be reaching out for a good glass of wine tonight and feeling a whole lot happier about their future,” Bruce Tyrrell, managing director of Tyrrell’s Wines in New South Wales, told CNN. Annual wine production hit its lowest point in more than 15 years during 2022-2023, Wine Australia said. Lee McLean, head of national association of grape and wine producers Australian Grape & Wine, said industry groups were working with the Australian government to “ensure a coordinated re-entry” into the market.

Persons: ”, “, that’s, ” Bruce Tyrrell, Lee McLean, ” McLean, Anthony Albanese’s, Albanese, Wang Yi, Penny Wong, Yang Hengjun, Wong Organizations: Sydney CNN, China’s Ministry of Commerce, Canberra, World Trade Organization, Tyrrell’s, CNN, Wine Australia, Global, Wine, China’s Foreign, Anthony Albanese’s Labor, China’s, Ministry, Australian Locations: Hong Kong, Sydney, China, Australia, Beijing, New South Wales, Wine Australia, United Kingdom, Europe, China’s

☆ Australian writer Yang Hengjun given suspended death sentence in Beijing
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A Beijing court on Monday handed Australian writer Yang Hengjun a suspended death sentence, five years after he was first detained in China and three years after a closed-door trial on espionage charges. Yang's sentence was confirmed by another human rights lawyer in Beijing who has been following his case. Yang's family was "shocked and devastated by this news, which comes at the extreme end of worst expectations", said a family spokesman in Sydney. Australia had said it was troubled by repeated delays in Yang's case, and had advocated for his well-being, including access to medical treatment "at the highest levels". A Beijing court heard Yang's trial in secret in May 2021 and the case against him has never been publicly disclosed.

Persons: Yang Hengjun, Yang, Feng Chongyi, Penny Wong, Wong, Dr Yang Organizations: Australian Locations: Beijing, China, Australian, New York, Guangzhou, Sydney, Australia, United States

☆ Australia and China: Rebound in Ties Threatened by Death Sentence for Australian Writer
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

China's then ambassador to Australia says that in response to the call, the Chinese public would boycott Australian wine, beef and tourism. Nov. 27, 2020 - China will impose temporary anti-dumping tariffs on Australian wine, China announces. Jan. 3, 2023 - China allows three government-backed utilities and its top steelmaker to resume coal imports from Australia. Oct. 11, 2023 - China releases Australian journalist Cheng Lei after three years in a Beijing prison on national security charges. Oct. 22, 2023 - China agrees to review dumping tariffs of 218% on Australian wine, potentially clearing way for the resumption of imports.

Persons: Yang Hengjun, Anthony Albanese, China's, Cheng Lei, Albanese, Xi Jinping, Jan, Li, Kirsty Needham, Antoni Slodkowski, Gerry Doyle Organizations: SYDNEY, South China, Huawei Technologies Co, Australia's Labor Party Locations: Beijing, Canberra, China, South, Australia, Indonesia, Japan

An Australian writer and businessman who has been detained in China since 2019 has been declared guilty of espionage and was given a death sentence with two years’ probation on Monday, in a blow to warming relations between Australia and China. If Mr. Yang does not commit any crimes in those probationary two years, the sentence can be commuted to life imprisonment, Penny Wong, the Australian foreign minister, said in a statement. She described the verdict as “harrowing.”The long detention of Mr. Yang — who is also known by his legal name, Yang Jun — has been one of the sources of tensions between Australia and China. Now the severe sentence may again weigh on relations, which had been improving after the election of a new, center-left Labor government in Australia in 2022. The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, visited Beijing late last year and has pressed for Mr. Yang’s release.

Persons: Yang Hengjun, Yang, Penny Wong, Yang —, Yang Jun —, Anthony Albanese Organizations: China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Labor Locations: Australian, China, Australia, Beijing

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Sunday pledged to continue deepening reforms, expand free trade zones and relax market access for foreign investment while seeking to generate excitement around a largely lackluster economy. China's economy expanded at a 4.9% annual pace between July-September, beating analysts’ forecasts of about 4.5%, official data show. The expo being held through Friday is an annual event launched by President Xi Jinping in 2018 with the theme of promoting China’s image as being in favor of free trade. This year’s expo brought Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, currently paying an official visit to China which is largely focused on restoring trade links blocked for years due to economic and political tensions. Despite that, Li said China would continue to “actively pursue the accession to the CPTPP and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement and negotiate for the conclusion of more high standard free trade agreements.”

Persons: Li Qiang, Li, Xi Jinping, ” Li, Anthony Albanese, Albanese, ” Albanese, Yang Hengjun, “ Organizations: 6th China, Sunday, Trans, Pacific Partnership, Digital Locations: TAIPEI, Taiwan, Shanghai, China, Beijing, Australia, Australian

☆ Australia PM says China visit 'very positive' for bilateral relations
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Saturday his much-anticipated visit to China to meet with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang marks a "very positive step" in stabilising strained bilateral ties. Arriving on Saturday, Albanese will be the first Australian leader to visit China since 2016, part of an effort to patch up relations that had deteriorated over several years due to disputes over Chinese telecoms firm Huawei, espionage and COVID-19. "It is a result of the patient, calibrated and deliberate approach that we have to the relationship with China." Albanese's government has taken credit for stabilising ties with China since coming to office last year. China has lifted most trade blocks imposed in a 2020 diplomatic dispute that cost A$20 billion in commodity and food exports.

Persons: Anthony Albanese, Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Albanese, Xi, Li, " Albanese, Yang Hengjun, Penny Wong, Sam McKeith Organizations: SYDNEY, Australia's, Huawei, Foreign, Thomson Locations: China, Darwin, Australia's Northern Territory, Shanghai, Beijing, South China, Tokyo, Sydney

☆ Australia-China: After seven years of strain, leader Albanese heads to Beijing
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-04 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Stakes are high for the four-day visit, which begins on Saturday and will see Albanese meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang and make stops in Beijing and Shanghai. Albanese’s trip also carries symbolic overtones, marking 50 years since the first official visit by an Australian leader to Communist China after the two countries established ties. James Bugg/Bloomberg/Getty ImagesUS relations loomAlbanese is heading to Beijing less than two weeks after he met with US President Joe Biden in Washington. As he aims to repair ties with China, Albanese will need to walk a line between these interests and China’s suspicions about the aims of these blocs, analysts say. “Beijing came to learn that the weaponization of trade did not force a close US ally to back down,” said Collinson.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, Anthony Albanese, Albanese, Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Scott Morrison’s, Jingdong Yuan, ”, Cheng Lei, Yang Hengjun, Yang, ” Albanese, Elena Collinson, teeters, ” Collinson, James Bugg, Joe Biden, “ Albanese, Yuan, Xi, Biden, Collinson, “ Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, China’s Foreign Ministry, University of Sydney, Reuters, Huawei, Albanese’s Labor, Canberra, Albanese’s, University of Technology Sydney’s, China Relations Institute, Trans, Pacific, Bloomberg, Getty, Albanese, China, China - Asia Security, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Economic Cooperation, Australia Locations: Hong Kong, China, Beijing, Shanghai, Australia, Washington, Seoul, Communist China, Asia, Pacific, Darwin, Pacific Islands, South, University of Technology Sydney’s Australia, Europe, Yarra, Victoria, South China, United Kingdom, Japan, India, Sydney, Stockholm, San Fransisco

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Wednesday he will raise the plight of a detained democracy blogger with Chinese leaders during a state visit to China. Albanese said he had approved a draft letter to the sons of Yang Hengjun, who has been detained in China since 2019. Political Cartoons View All 1227 ImagesThey said they had just last week received the first letter Yang had been allowed to send from detention. Feng said Albanese becoming the first Australian prime minister in seven years to visit China created an opportunity for Yang. They hoped Australian authorities could “achieve a second miracle by saving our father.”Asked about Cheng’s case, Albanese told reporters: “Every case is ... different.”

Persons: Anthony Albanese, Albanese, Yang Hengjun, “, ” Albanese, Yang, ” Yang, Feng Chongyi, Feng, “ It’s, ” Feng, Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Cheng Lei, Xi, Cheng, Yang’s, ” Organizations: —, China’s Ministry of State Security, China Locations: CANBERRA, Australia, China, Beijing, Shanghai, Indonesia

☆ Factbox-Foreign Nationals Detained in China
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

Here are some other high-profile cases of foreign nationals detained in China:YANG HENGJUNThe Australian writer has been detained in China for more than three years, and in 2021 was tried in Beijing on undisclosed national security charges. His arrest coincided with worsening relations between Australia and China and a verdict in his case has been repeatedly delayed. JAPANESE BUSINESSMANA Japanese employee of Astellas Pharma Inc, who has not been identified publicly, was detained in Beijing in March on suspicion of espionage, sending a chill through the Japanese business community in China. The Chinese foreign ministry, when asked last month if the Japanese employee had been arrested, said foreign nationals in China must abide by the country's laws or be prosecuted otherwise. KAI LILi, who is Chinese-American, has been detained in China since 2016.

Persons: Cheng Lei, YANG HENGJUN, Yang, ROBERT SCHELLENBERG, Meng Wanzhou, MARK SWIDAN, Katherine Swidan, KAI LI Li, Harrison Li, Laurie Chen, Don Durfee, Robert Birsel Organizations: Astellas Pharma Inc, Kyodo, Huawei, United, Reuters Locations: BEIJING, Australian, China, Beijing, Australia, United States, Vancouver, Canada, MARK SWIDAN The Texas, United Nations

☆ Foreign nationals detained in China
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Persons: Cheng Lei, YANG HENGJUN, Yang, ROBERT SCHELLENBERG, Meng Wanzhou, MARK SWIDAN, Katherine Swidan, KAI LI Li, Harrison Li, Laurie Chen, Don Durfee, Robert Birsel Organizations: Astellas Pharma Inc, Kyodo, Huawei, United, Reuters, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, Australian, China, Beijing, Australia, United States, Vancouver, Canada, MARK SWIDAN The Texas, United Nations

☆ Australian journalist Cheng Lei back home after China release
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/6] Australian journalist Cheng Lei poses for a selfie at an unknown location in this undated picture obtained by Reuters on August 11, 2023. Nicholas Coyle/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Australian journalist Cheng Lei, who had been detained in China on national security charges for more than three years, returned home on Wednesday after being released, Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. Cheng, who was tried in secret in March 2022, arrived in Melbourne and has been reunited with her two children and family, Albanese told a press conference. Albanese said he expected to visit China this year and told reporters dialogue with China was "a good thing". Albanese said Australia "continued to advocate" for another detained Australian journalist, Yang Hengjun, who has been held since January 2019.

Persons: Cheng Lei, Nicholas Coyle, Handout, Anthony Albanese, Cheng, Albanese, Penny Wong, I've, Xi Jinping, Ryan Neelam, " Albanese, Yang Hengjun, Yang, Adam Ni, Kirsty Needham, Laurie Chen, Alasdair Pal, Clarence Fernandez, Miral Organizations: Reuters, REUTERS, Rights, Australia's, Lowy Institute, Independent, Thomson Locations: Australian, China, Melbourne, Australia, Beijing, Independent China, Canberra, Sydney

☆ Australian PM to visit China this year after 'progress' on ties
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese along with the Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong smile during the 43rd ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, September 6, 2023. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan/Pool Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Australia and China have made progress in returning to "unimpeded trade" but more progress is needed, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Thursday as he met Chinese Premier Li Qiang at a regional summit in Indonesia. "The progress we have made in resuming unimpeded trade is good for both countries and we want to see that progress continue," Albanese said in his opening comments at the meeting. Li said he welcomed Albanese to visit China this year, and Albanese said he would. "I look forward to visiting China later this year to mark the 50th anniversary of Prime Minister Whitlam’s historic visit," Albanese said in a statement after the meeting, referring to the first visit to communist China by an Australian leader, then prime minister Gough Whitlam, in 1973.

Persons: Anthony Albanese, Penny Wong, Willy Kurniawan, Li Qiang, Albanese, Li, Whitlam’s, " Albanese, Gough Whitlam, Cheng Lei, Yang Hengjun, Kirsty Needham, Robert Birsel Organizations: Australian, Australian Foreign, ASEAN Summit, REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Jakarta, Indonesia, Australia, China

CNN —A Chinese-Australian writer who has been detained in China for more than four years said he fears he could die in jail, after a large cyst was found on his kidney. Yang Hengjun, an Australian citizen and democracy activist, was detained in 2019 during a visit to see family in China and charged with espionage – accusations Yang has denied. “Yang Hengjun has been subjected to arbitrary detention in China by Chinese secret police for more than four years and his life is in danger,” he said. Yang is one of two Australians currently detained in China. Cheng Lei, an Australian TV anchor who worked for China’s state broadcaster CGTN, is accused of illegally supplying state secret overseas and has been detained for three years.

Persons: Yang Hengjun, Yang, ” Yang, Feng Chongyi, “ Yang Hengjun, ”, “, ’, Anthony Albanese, Xi Jinping, ” Albanese, Cheng Lei Organizations: CNN, University of Technology, Australian, Group, Chinese Foreign Ministry, CGTN Locations: Australian, China, Beijing, won’t, Sydney, New Delhi, United States

☆ Australia says it's 'troubled' by delays in writer's espionage trial verdict in China
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SYDNEY, Jan 19 (Reuters) - A verdict in the espionage trial of Australian writer Yang Hengjun, detained by China since his arrest there four years ago, has been delayed until April, the seventh such delay, his supporters said on Thursday. Pro-democracy blogger Yang is an Australian citizen born in China who was working in New York before his arrest at Guangzhou airport in 2019, coinciding with deteriorating relations between Australia and China. A Beijing court heard Yang's trial in secret in May 2021 and the case against him has never been publicly disclosed. "The Australian government is deeply troubled by the ongoing delays in his case. A verdict in Yang's trial has been delayed by the court seven times, and his lawyer was told the deadline had been extended a further three months to April, his supporters told Reuters.

☆ Australia seeks to resolve China trade woes as foreign minister heads to Beijing
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Renju Jose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Wong is expected to meet Wang Yi in Beijing on Wednesday, the first visit by an Australian minister since 2019 and the first formal talks in Beijing between the two nations' top diplomats since 2018. "Many of the hard issues in the relationship will take time to resolve in our interests," Wong said during a media briefing in Canberra before leaving for China. A meeting between Albanese and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G20 in Bali last month signalled a thaw in ties, although China's trade sanctions remain in place. Wong will attend the sixth Australia–China Foreign and Strategic Dialogue in Beijing, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. She hoped the restart of official talks would "stabilise" the relationship between China and Australia.

SYDNEY, Dec 19 (Reuters) - Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong will visit China this week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Monday, signalling an improvement in diplomatic relations between Beijing and Canberra. Wong will meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and hold the sixth Australia–China Foreign and Strategic Dialogue, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries on Wednesday. It will be the first visit to China by an Australian minister since 2019, and the first formal talks in Beijing between the two nations' top diplomats since 2018. The significance of it is that it's a meeting not in a conference, but a physical meeting in Beijing. read moreAustralian diplomats have previously said Canberra's moves to improve ties with Beijing would not bring a shift in defence policy.

Nov 15 (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he discussed trade, consular and human rights issues in a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit on Tuesday, the first meeting between leaders of the two countries since 2016. The meeting takes place as both countries work to improve relations overshadowed by disputes over trade, Taiwan, human rights and the origins of the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. "Australia seeks a stable relationship with China. Two Australian journalists, Cheng Lei and Yang Hengjun, are also in jail in China awaiting sentences after closed-door national security trials. Albanese said China acknowledged that Australia had raised the issue of the imprisoned journalists, but he gave no further details.

The meeting takes place as both countries work to improve relations overshadowed by disputes over trade, Taiwan, human rights and the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. China is Australia’s biggest trading partner, accounting for up to a third of its roughly A$475 billion ($303 billion) of annual exports. Australia's relations with China began to sour in 2017 when Australia introduced laws to deal with what it said was Chinese interference in Australian politics. Two Australian journalists, Cheng Lei and Yang Hengjun, are in jail in China awaiting sentences after closed-door national security trials. Albanese said China acknowledged that Australia had raised the issue of the imprisoned journalists but he gave no further details.

☆ Australia seeks stable ties with 'great power' China, minister says
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong speaks during a news conference on the sidelines of the 77th United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York City, New York, U.S., September 20, 2022. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/SYDNEY, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Australia is aiming for a stable relationship with China despite differences in particular on trade, Australia's foreign minister said, as she called on China to use its influence as a great power to help end the war in Ukraine. "China is a great power ... We encourage China as a P5 member with a special responsibility to uphold the U.N. charter to use its influence to end the war," she said. Wong said in her talks with Wang Yi she had raised the issue of Australian journalist Cheng Lei and blogger Yang Hengjun, who have been detained in China and face espionage charges. Thursday's meeting with Wang Yi, the second in three months, comes as the recently elected Labor government looks to rebuild ties after a sharp deterioration during the term of the previous conservative government.

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