Advertisement
China-Australia relations
ChinaDiplomacy

China accuses Australia of ‘barbaric’ searches of journalists’ homes over foreign interference laws

  • Foreign ministry demands end to ‘unreasonable acts’ after Chinese journalists in Australia were interrogated and had devices seized
  • Academic says it is ‘preposterous’ to suppose influence by Chinese WeChat group on Australian politics

Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
0

01:24

China accuses Australia of ‘barbaric’ raids of journalists’ homes

China accuses Australia of ‘barbaric’ raids of journalists’ homes
Sarah ZhengandJun Mai
China has accused Australian authorities of “barbaric” searches of the homes of four Chinese journalists in a new escalation in the spat between Beijing and Canberra over the treatment of their respective media.

In a regular briefing on Wednesday, foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said that in late June authorities in Australia interrogated four journalists from Chinese state-run organisations Xinhua, China Media Group and China News Service.

The Chinese reporters – who have since returned to China – had their residences searched over potential violations of Australian foreign interference laws, and their work computers, phones and other devices were seized, Zhao said.

“The Australian side has yet to provide a reasonable explanation for the searches of our reporters, and have still not returned all of their seized possessions,” he said. “We demand that Australia immediately stop these barbaric and unreasonable acts.”

His remarks come amid fresh tensions between China and Australia, after the detention of Beijing-based Australian journalist Cheng Lei on national security grounds and the evacuation of two Australian correspondents from China.
Advertisement