Australia to quiz Beijing over democracy activist’s disappearance
THE Australian government is asking Beijing for information about a democracy activist allegedly detained by security agents shortly after landing at an airport in China on Saturday.
Yang Hengjun, a former Chinese diplomat who later gained Australian citizenship, left New York on Friday with his wife and stepson on a flight to Guangzhou but reportedly failed to catch the second leg of the journey onward to Shanghai, according to a witness speaking to The Australian newspaper.
Australia’s department of foreign affairs and trade confirmed yesterday it was “seeking information about an Australian citizen who has been reported missing in China”.
Friends have feared for Mr Yang’s safety as he has been conspicuously silent online. An active and influential commentator, he hasn’t posted on Twitter since Jan 17. Mr Yang worked for China’s foreign ministry before tak- ing Australian citizenship and growing more outspoken on a range of issues relating to the Chinese government. He had previously been detained by Chinese authorities in 2011.
“Dr Yang is not only brilliant but extraordinarily popular among the Chi- nese speaking world,” said John Garnaut, a China expert and friend of Mr Yang, who described him as a “courageous and committed democrat”.
“This will reverberate globally, if authorities do not quickly find an offramp.”
Details of Mr Yang’s case emerged just before Christopher Pyne, Australia’s defence minister, was due to arrive in Beijing for talks today.
It also comes at a time of heightened tension between China and Western countries, after Canadian authorities last month arrested Meng Wanzhou, a top Chinese telecoms executive, in Vancouver on a US extradition request over an Iran sanctions violation. Beijing has issued threats against both Canada and the US in response.
China yesterday denied having any knowledge of Mr Yang’s case. “I am not aware of the situation about this Mr Yang and I can’t tell you whether it will be a topic of discussion between the two sides,” said Hua Chunying, a spokesman for the foreign ministry, when asked whether the issue would be discussed during Mr Pyne’s visit.
A consular agreement between Australia and China requires either government to inform the other within three days if one of their citizens is detained, and diplomats are also entitled to communicate with that person.