Intelligence officials raided homes of Chinese journalists based in Australia, China’s state media reported. The Global Times reported that the raids took place in June amid heightened tensions between the two nations. The journalists were questioned and their phones and laptops were seized, a source said. The raid took place on June 26.
Cheng Lei, an Australian journalist has been detained in China over concerns for national security. The presenter for China Global Television Network (CTGN) was detained in mid-August as she was, “suspected of carrying out illegal activities endangering China’s national security”.
While Lei’s detainment and raid of homes of the Chinese journalists highlight mounting political pressures on foreign press corps operating in China, it also underscores fraying ties between Beijing and Canberra after Prime Minister Scott Morrison in April called for independent investigators be allowed into Wuhan to probe the origins of the coronavirus.
New South Wales state lawmaker Shaoquett Moselmane said his home and office was also raided over a probe linking him to people who allegedly advanced the goals of the Chinese government and was denied being a suspect.
In the fray of soaring tensions between China and Australia, launched trade actions against imports of Australian beef, wine and barley.
According to China News Service, Australian officials have conducted raids on four Chinese journalists from three Chinese media organisations in the country under its 2018 foreign interference laws. Australian journalists – Bill Birtles from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and Michael Smith from the Australian Financial Review (AFR) left China to avoid being a person of interest for Chinese security agents in relation to the investigation into Lei. Their exit has said to have been negotiated by Australian diplomats.
