Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

China arrests Australian TV host on suspicion of spying

China arrests Australian TV host on suspicion of spying

An Australian employee of China's state broadcaster CGTN has been arrested on suspicion of "illegally supplying state secrets overseas," Canberra said Monday.
In a statement, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said Cheng Lei, who has been detained in China since August 13, 2020, had been formally arrested on February 5.

"Chinese authorities have advised that Ms Cheng was arrested on suspicion of illegally supplying state secrets overseas," Payne said, adding that "the Australian Government has raised its serious concerns about Ms Cheng's detention regularly at senior levels, including about her welfare and conditions of detention."

Australian consular officials have visited Cheng regularly since she was detained, most recently on January 27, 2021.

Cheng was a business anchor on CGTN, the international arm of China's state-owned broadcaster CCTV, which has since scrubbed all reference to her from its website and social media.

According to a profile of her that has now been deleted, the Australian journalist joined the Beijing-based broadcaster in 2012, following a nine-year stint with the US financial news network CNBC. She was one of CGTN's top anchors, helming the daily "Global Business" show, conducting high-profile interviews, as well as driving "content innovation" and taking part in special projects.

In her spare time, Cheng was active in the Australian community in Beijing, taking part in events at the Australian Chamber of Commerce and acting as an "alumni ambassador" for the country's embassy.

Her final post on WeChat, the Chinese social networking app, showed her at the opening of a Shake Shack outlet in Beijing on August 12, the first restaurant opened in China by the US chain. Posing in a bright green dress, Cheng captioned the photos with the hashtag "make shakes not war."

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Wang Wenbin confirmed Cheng's arrest and asked Australia to "stop interfering."

"The Chinese judicial organs handle the case in accordance with the law and fully guarantee the rights of Cheng Lei," Wang said Monday. "We hope that the Australian side will respect China's judicial sovereignty and stop interfering with China in handling cases according to law."

Cheng's original detention came amid rapidly worsening ties between Canberra and Beijing. After Australia called for an investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, China targeted it over trade, slapping products with tariffs and blocking acquisitions by Australian companies.

Soon after Cheng was detained, two Australian journalists working in China fled the country after authorities attempted to question them on national security grounds, leaving Australia's media without any journalists working in China for the first time in nearly 50 years.

Bill Birtles, Beijing correspondent for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), and Mike Smith, Shanghai correspondent for the Australian Financial Review (AFR), were told they were "persons of interest in an investigation" into Cheng. Both sought the protection of consular officials, and were eventually able to fly out of China after a five-day diplomatic standoff.

In an exclusive report Monday, Birtles quoted family members of Cheng in Australia as saying they were unaware of any reason why she might have been detained.

"I don't think she would have done anything to harm national security in any way intentionally," Louisa Wen, Cheng's niece and spokeswoman for the family, told the ABC. "We don't know if she's just been caught up in something that she herself didn't realize."
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
×