Australian journalist Cheng Lei returns home after being freed in China

• Australian journalist Cheng Lei returns home after being freed in China.
• Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong greeted her at the airport.
• Australia had consistently expressed concerns about her detention.

Australian journalist Cheng Lei, who had been detained in China on national security charges for over three years, has been released and returned home, announced Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Cheng, who faced a secret trial in March 2022, has arrived in Melbourne and been reunited with her two children and family, as confirmed by Albanese during a press conference.

The Australian Prime Minister stated, “The government has been seeking this for a long period, and her return will be warmly welcomed not just by her family and friends but by all Australians.”

According to Albanese, her release comes following the completion of legal processes in China with no immediate comment from China’s judiciary.

Cheng, 48, was a business television anchor for Chinese state television when she was detained in August 2020 on allegations of sharing state secrets with another country.

Australia had consistently expressed concerns about her detention, which coincided with China’s imposition of restrictions on Australian exports during a diplomatic dispute, a situation that has been gradually improving.

Albanese conveyed his sentiments, saying, “She is a very strong and resilient person,” adding that he had spoken to Cheng and welcomed her home on behalf of the country. Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong greeted her at the airport.

Cheng had released a letter to Australia, expressing her longing for her children, aged 11 and 14, who had been living in Melbourne with their grandmother during her detention in August.

She wrote about her experience in her cell, stating, “I haven’t seen a tree in three years. I relive every bushwalk, river, lake, beach with swims and picnics and psychedelic sunsets. I secretly mouth the names of places I’ve visited and driven through.”

Albanese also mentioned his plans to visit China this year and highlighted the importance of dialogue with China as a positive development.

There had been public pressure on Albanese to secure Cheng’s release before any official visit to Australia’s largest trading partner.

While this release marks progress in Australia-China relations, analysts note that differences between the two countries remain. Australia continues to advocate for the release of another detained Australian journalist, Yang Hengjun, who has been held since January 2019.

Independent China analyst Adam Ni emphasized that Cheng’s release is a significant step in stabilizing relations but should be kept in perspective.

Further efforts are required from both sides to normalize bilateral relations, and it is up to Beijing and Canberra to determine the new normal in their relationship.

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