China’s Foreign Ministry says Australian journalist Cheng Lei has been formally arrested for “providing state secrets overseas” and has called on Australia to stop interfering in its handling of the case.
Ms Cheng disappeared from Chinese state television’s airwaves six months ago without explanation and was detained by Beijing authorities on 5 February.
Foreign Minister Marise Payne told reporters on Monday that Chinese officials had advised the Australian government of Ms Cheng’s arrest “on suspicion of illegally supplying state secrets overseas”.
On Monday, spokesman Wang Wenbin confirmed the accusation Ms Cheng faces, and said her case “is being further processed”.
“It is understood that the Chinese judicial institutions, after reviewing according to law, believe that the Australian citizen Cheng Lei is suspected of illegally providing state secrets abroad,” Mr Wang said.
“We hope that Australia will respect China’s judicial sovereignty and stop interfering in China’s handling of the case… in any way.”
The mother-of-two faces severe punishment if found to have broken China’s national security laws.
Ms Cheng had been a familiar face on CGTN’s English-language channel, conducting interviews with noted CEOs from around the world.
Born in Hunan province, she emigrated to Australia as a child, before returning to China and joining the state broadcaster in 2012.
Her niece Louisa Wen told Australian broadcaster ABC that the family did not “understand anything about the case”.
Ms Cheng’s 11-year-old daughter and nine-year-old son “don’t fully understand the situation”, she said, adding that it had been “quite tough on the kids wondering what’s going on”.
Her detention came as relations between Australia and China cratered.
The timing and lack of information about charges raised speculation that her detention was politically motivated, or tit-for-tat retaliation.
Beijing has reacted angrily to Australia’s liberal use of foreign interference laws to block Chinese investment in sensitive sectors and to investigate Chinese influence on the country’s public life.
China was also infuriated by Australia’s calls for an independent probe into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, responding with a slew of sanctions against Australian exports.
Ms Cheng’s detention came weeks after Australian authorities raided the homes of Chinese state media journalists.
Two Australian journalists, Bill Birtles and Michael Smith, fled China shortly after being interrogated about Ms Cheng.
Senator Payne said the Australian government had visited Ms Cheng six times since she was detained – most recently on January 27 – and had “serious concerns” about her “welfare and conditions of detention”.
“We expect basic standards of justice, procedural fairness and humane treatment to be met, in accordance with international norms,” she said.
“Our thoughts are with Ms Cheng and her family during this difficult period.”
Senator Payne said it was likely the formal investigation stage of Ms Cheng’s case could take several months.
“We will continue providing the strongest consular support to her as possible and engage as strongly as we are able to with Chinese authorities in relation to her detention,” she told reporters.
Ms 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.
Her detention sent shockwaves through China’s foreign journalist community.
Ms Cheng had written a number of Facebook posts critical of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Beijing’s approach to the coronavirus outbreak.
One post poked fun at Mr Xi’s visit in March to Wuhan, the COVID-19 ground zero: “The big story today, Dear Leader’s visit, triggered titters in the newsroom – waving to a big TV screen showing the coronavirus hospital in Wuhan apparently equals a visit”.
Nevertheless, Ms Cheng has been described as a “bridge between China and Australia” who used her connections to both countries to further bilateral relationships and someone who was not a known critic of the Chinese Communist Party.
“Why her, why now? She hasn’t really done anything extraordinary. She’s not overly outspoken about the political situation in China,” Delia Lin, a senior lecturer in Chinese Studies at Melbourne University, told SBS News following Ms Cheng’s detention.
With additional reporting by Caroline Riches
