Two Australian journalists fled China on Tuesday under diplomatic protection, fearing arrest as political pawns in the rapidly worsening relationship between Canberra and Beijing.
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 on 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.
Mr. Birtles, who works for public broadcaster ABC, said on Tuesday his “interrogation” in a hotel room had touched on Ms. Cheng’s case, but that he did not think that was its primary objective.
“I believe that the whole episode was really one more of harassment of the remaining Australian journalists, rather than a genuine effort to try and get anything useful for that case,” he told ABC.
China confirmed that the two men had been questioned, but insisted the move had been legitimate. “As long as foreign journalists obey the law... they have no reason to worry,” foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said in Beijing.
