Chinese diplomats try to hide from cameras a journalist who was detained in China

An Australian journalist has complained that Chinese diplomats deliberately hid her from view during Premier Li Qiang's visit to Canberra, an incident about which the Australian government expressed concern on Tuesday. “worries”.

Australian journalist Qing Lei, who was detained in China for more than three years, was in the Australian Parliament on Monday to visit the Chinese second-in-command, but denounced the apparent maneuver by Chinese diplomats to prevent her from appearing on “screen”. “They did their best to prevent me from approaching the cameras and supervise me.”she told Sky News. “I think it keeps me from saying or doing something they find reprehensible.” “But that in itself gives a bad image.”

“Totally clumsy attempt”

This was the highest visit by a Chinese official since 2017. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday that the Australian authorities… “They contacted the Chinese embassy to express their concerns.” After this incident. “When you look at the footage, it's a very clumsy attempt, frankly, by a few people to put themselves between the cameras and where Qing Li was sitting.”He said this on the national ABC television channel. He added, “Australian officials intervened, as appropriate, to ask the Chinese officials present at the press conference to take action.”

Australian journalist Qing Lei, who had been detained in China for more than three years, was released in October 2023 and was able to return to Australia. The former anchor of Chinese public broadcaster CGTN was put on trial behind closed doors for doing so “Revealing state secrets abroad”. She testified about the harsh conditions and harsh treatment she faced while in detention. This issue has long poisoned relations between the two countries. At the conclusion of his visit to Australia, Li Qiang said on Monday that relations between Canberra and Beijing were good “On the right path, the path of continuous improvement and development.”.