China-Australia relations: allowing coal ships to dock on humanitarian grounds not seen as softening of import ban
China unofficially stopped importing Australian coal – both thermal coal used for electricity generation and coking coal – in October amid escalating tensions
Eight vessels have been given permission to dock at three northern ports in China on humanitarian grounds with some ships having been at sea since June
Australian journalist Cheng Lei s arrest in China causes concern ANI | Updated: Feb 09, 2021 12:28 IST
Hong Kong, February 9 (ANI): Former colleagues and press freedom advocates have expressed concern for the well-being of Chinese-Australian journalist Cheng Lei who was arrested on Friday on suspicion of supplying state secrets by China, reported South China Morning Post.
Eric Olander, who worked with her in Singapore in 2003, said it was heartbreaking to see what she s now having to endure .
Tech podcaster Elliott Zaagman, who once shared an apartment building with Cheng and appeared on her show, said her arrest hit very close to home among the expatriate community in Beijing.
Australia-China relations, which have been spiralling downward for some time, continue to sink. The latest blow comes in the form of the formal arrest of Australian journalist and former business anchor for Chinese state media outlet China Global Television Network (CGTN), Cheng Lei.
Cheng was first detained by Chinese state authorities on August 13 last year.
Chinese officials have offered scant explanation for her arrest, with the Australian government simply stating it had been advised Cheng had been arrested “on suspicion of illegally supplying state secrets overseas”.
Foreign Minister Marise Payne told ABC radio that Australia was currently “not privy to [the] evidence” supporting Beijing’s move. She said Australia was “seeking further advice in relation to the charges”.