Diplomatic Standoff: Two Australian journalists flown out of China

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Bill Birtles and the Australian Financial Review's Mike Smith landed in Sydney on Tuesday, reports BBC.

Chinese authorities questioned both men before their departure, reports the British news channel.

The incident happened at a time when relationships between Australia and China have touched new lows.

There had been allegations of Chinese interference in Australian society in the past, but ties worsened after Canberra backed an international inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, reports BBC.

Bill Birtles, the ABC's correspondent based in Beijing, and Mike Smith, the AFR's correspondent based in Shanghai, boarded a flight to Sydney last night after the pair were questioned separately by China's Ministry of State Security, reports ABC.

Birtles had spent four days sheltering in Australia's embassy in Beijing, while Smith took refuge in Australia's Shanghai consulate as diplomats negotiated with Chinese officials to allow them to safely leave the country, ABC reported.

The saga began early last week, when Australian diplomats in Beijing cautioned Birtles that he should leave China, with officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade giving the same advice to ABC's managing director David Anderson in Sydney, the news channel reported.

Subsequent advice prompted the ABC to organise flights back to Australia for Birtles. He was due to depart last Thursday morning.But the threatening behaviour from Chinese officials peaked before he could leave, when seven police officers arrived at Birtles' apartment at midnight last Wednesday as he was holding farewell drinks with friends and colleagues, the news channel reported.

The journalist was instructed that he was banned from leaving China.

He was directed that he would be contacted the next day to organise a time to be questioned over a "national security case".

Birtles described the late-night visit as "extraordinary and unprecedented".

"On one hand, this is urgent enough for them to rock up to my front door at midnight, with a total of seven people to tell me I'm involved in a state security case, on the other hand they say, 'Hey, we'll ring you tomorrow afternoon to organise a chat,'" Birtles told ABC.

Birtles called the Australian embassy and arranged to be collected from his apartment. He stayed in the Beijing diplomatic compound for the next few days, where he was contacted by Chinese officials demanding an interview, reports ABC.

Birtles was interviewed by Chinese authorities on Sunday after an agreement was reached between Australian and Chinese officials that his travel ban would be lifted if he spoke to them.

"I felt like I suddenly, unintentionally had become a pawn in some sort of diplomatic tussle," he told ABC.

During the meeting, no questions were asked about his reporting or conduct in China, ABC reported.

Instead, Birtles said he was interviewed about Australian TV presenter Cheng Lei, who was detained last month.

"I know Cheng Lei, but not especially well and Mike Smith in Shanghai had only met her once in his life," he said.

"We didn't seem like the two most logical people you would talk to, if you really wanted to talk about her situation.

"It felt very, very political. It felt like a diplomatic tussle in a broader Australian-China relationship more than anything specific related to that case," he said.

Birtles was told by embassy officials after the interview that his travel ban had been rescinded. He was joined by consular staff on a flight from Beijing to Shanghai early on Monday, where he waited for his flight to Sydney, ABC reported.

AFR correspondent Smith was questioned on Monday.

In Sydney, Birtles told ABC after arriving from China: "It's very disappointing to have to leave under those circumstances, and it's a relief to be back in a country with a genuine rule of law."

"This was a whirlwind, and it's not a particularly good experience," he said.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Correspondents' Club of China said on Monday a record 17 foreign journalists were expelled from the country in the first half of 2020, reports BBC.

Australian Foreign Minister (AFR) Marise Payne said her government has provided consular support to two Australian journalists in China to assist their return to Australia.   

"Those Australians have now arrived in Australia. Our Embassy in Beijing and Consulate-General in Shanghai engaged with Chinese Government authorities to ensure their wellbeing and return to Australia," she said in a statement.

"Our current travel advice for China, which was updated on July 7, remains appropriate and unchanged. We encourage all Australians who are overseas, or are seeking to travel, to closely monitor Smartraveller," she said.

The Minister further said: "The Australian Government continues to provide consular support to Australian citizens detained in China, including Ms Cheng Lei. We are unable to provide further comment owing to privacy obligations."