Australian journalists rush to leave China

The last two journalists working for Australian media in China have left the country after police demanded interviews with them and temporarily blocked their departures.

The absence of Australian media from China for the first time in four decades comes during a low point in the two countries’ relations. The events that led to the journalists’ departures were seen as evidence of an increasing risk to foreign journalists working in China.

Australian Broadcasting Corporation’ s Bill Bi rt les and the Australian Financial Review’ s Michael Smith landed in Sydney yesterday after flying from Shanghai on Monday night, both news outlets reported.

Both journalists had sheltered in Australian diplomatic compounds in recent days.