Two Australian journalists fled China Tuesday under diplomatic protection amid rapidly deteriorating relations between Beijing and Canberra, as the United States warned that the situation for foreign reporters in the country could get worse.
Their dramatic overnight exit came following days of secret wrangling that had seen both men holed up in Australia’s diplomatic missions to escape the clutches of China’s feared security police.
Bill Birtles and Michael Smith had to consent to questioning before they were allowed to leave China, shepherded out of the country on a late-night flight by Australian diplomats.
Both men were quizzed about fellow Australian journalist Cheng Lei, who has been detained since last month.
Beijing acknowledged Tuesday for the first time that she was being held on national security grounds — a broad category that can include crimes resulting in lengthy prison sentences.
Birtles, who works for public broadcaster ABC, said Tuesday his “ interrogation” in a hotel room had touched on Cheng’s case, but that he did not think that was its primary objective.