Formerly detained journalist Cheng Lei has spoken out after her view of a document signing and press conference with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Canberra was obstructed by Chinese officials on Monday.
Footage has emerged showing Sky News Australia host Cheng Lei being blocked from the view of cameras by a Chinese official during an important media event.
Formerly detained journalist Cheng Lei has spoken out after her view of a document signing and press conference with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Canberra was obstructed by Chinese officials on Monday.
A Chinese embassy official stood in front of Lei, who was sitting in an area assigned for media representatives.
Liberal MP Aaron Violi said the development regarding Cheng lei was “concerning”.
A Chinese embassy official stood front of Lei, who was sitting in an area assigned for media representatives during a document signing ceremony, and attempted to block her view.
According to the Guardian, the official was asked to move several times but these requests were declined. Lei then moved two seats to the right, resulting in the official appearing to move in the same direction.
Sky News host Cheng Lei suggested China could be “keeping tabs” on her after returning to Australia following more than three years in detention in Beijing. Picture: Sky News Australia
Two Australian officials noticed the commotion and intervened, blocking the path before that official could get close to Lei.
Speaking shortly after the incident, Lei said it was a “bad look”.
“I’m only guessing this is to prevent me from saying something or doing something that they think would be a bad look, but that in itself was a bad look,” she said.
“Well, it’s typical right, with these events,” she later told Sky News colleagues.
“Especially if they’re attaching importance to the friendly facade that they’re carefully staging, that voices of discord or the presence of someone who’s a bit controversial, not harm that.
China’s Premier Li Qiang (R) signs a guestbook as Australiaâs Prime Minister Anthony Albanese looks on at Parliament House in Canberra on June 17, 2024. (Photo by MICK TSIKAS / POOL / AFP)
“They went to great lengths to block me from the cameras.”
Extraordinary vision of the incident appears to show two Chinese officials involved, with one stepping into the path of a camera which had been pointed in Lei’s direction.
China’s Premier Li Qiang joined Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canberra on Monday for the annual leaders meeting before a launch in the Great Hall of Parliament House.
Lei, speaking earlier the same day with AM Agenda host Laura Jayes, made an honest admission about the effects and potential ramifications of reporting on China again after a more than three-year-long detention in Beijing.
Reporting from the nation’s capital on the major occasion, Lei said her presence at Parliament House appeared to have unsettled Chinese staff.
“While I was standing there, as part of a group of journalists, someone next to me said she was a media officer with the Chinese embassy. She recognised me, struck up a conversation, tried to find out what I’d be doing today, and seemed noticeably uncomfortable,” she said.
“So I didn’t tell exactly what I’d be doing today but she said ‘this is a very important visit’. I said ‘are you nervous?’ She said ‘not super nervous’ but she sure looked it.”
China’s Premier Li Qiang hopes his country can build a “more mature, stable and fruitful” strategic partnership with Australia.
“This year marks the 10th anniversary of President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Australia and our comprehensive strategic partnership.
“How our relations evolved over the past 10 years has provided us with a lot of valuable experience, the most important of which is we should uphold mutual respect … and promote mutually beneficial cooperation.
“Mr Prime Minister, I sincerely hope that during my current visit, we will work with you to build a more mature, stable and fruitful comprehensive strategic partnership.”
Jayes asked Lei whether it was possible Chinese officials had held meetings discussing the journalist, who had been held in detention from August 2020 to October 2023.
She expressed concern over how content she delivers on Beijing after being detained could be closely monitored and whether that could impact loved ones in China.
“I think maybe in areas, they would be keeping tabs on me about what I’m doing, what I’m writing, what my views are,” she said.
“Maybe they have things in the background of what they can do to me, to my family and friends back in China – if whatever I said really antagonised them, it’s hard to say.
“They have a lot of things on their plate but surely the fact that one minute I’m sitting in incarceration and being raised as a topic at these visits then the next minute I’m actually covering the visit…is testament to how wonderful freedom is and democracy is.”
Lei added it was a “very emotional day” for her to be covering the major visit and that she was “grateful” to have the opportunity.
Mr Albanese has been demanded to bring up a topic close to home for Lei, on his meeting with Premier Li – the release of writer Dr Yang Hengjun who is currently detained on a suspended death sentence.
Supporters of Dr Yang called on the PM to raise the issue in a statement overnight.
Sky News host Cheng Lei says she was “blocked” at Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s briefing to prevent her from saying something they think would be a “bad look”.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang has reached Canberra as he continues his tour of Australia.
“At the … briefing by Prime Minister Albanese and Premier Li Qiang … just now really highlighted that,” Ms Cheng told Sky News Australia.
“They went to great lengths to block me from the cameras and to flank me, and I’m only guessing it’s to prevent me from saying something or doing something that they think would be a bad look, but that, in itself, was a bad look.”
“…We urge Prime Minister Albanese to use his meeting with Premier Li Qiang to directly demand that Yang be released on medical parole or otherwise be transferred to safety in Australia, in accordance with basic humanitarian principles,” they said in the statement.
“Clearly, it is not possible to achieve a stable, respectful bilateral relationship with China while their officials are threatening to execute an Australian political prisoner, without any semblance of due legal process.”
Foreign Minister Penny Wong promised to advocate for the release of Yang while speaking to ABC’s Insiders on Sunday.