Australian Cheng Lei's first message from Chinese prison describes harsh conditions
Australian Cheng Lei's first message from Chinese prison describes harsh conditions
Australian journalist Cheng Lei, who was arrested and jailed in China three years ago, has released her first public statement describing the harsh conditions of her imprisonment and how much she misses Australia.
This might be harsh but I have little sympathy for this woman. Remember she was the news anchor at CGTN from 2012 - 2020 and based on Beijing at that time. CGTN is a state owned news (i.e. propaganda) outlet. She was an Australian Citizen prior to taking that position, so surely she should be aware of what she was walking into a conflict between Australian values of freedom and the oppression that the CGTN apparatus represents.
Instead of being an ethical and fearless journalist, she picked money, clout and prestige, betraying the very principles of the country that she's pleading for sympathy from now.
The fact that the role become a poisoned chalice is entirely predictable. It's disappointing that our government is now having to expend political capital for her.
Such a strange comment. From the lack of sympathy for an obvious political prisoner who has not committed any crime worthy of imprisonment, to the implication that Australia and Australian journalism is some paragon of virtue when anyone who even remotely pays attention knows it is far from this ideal. It reads like an attempt to claim the moral high-ground for yourself so you can feel justified in not caring about the plight of others.
I'm not claiming any moral high ground, I'm merely staying that she worked for a Chinese media organisation and that essentially makes her part of China's political apparatus. That makes her at risk of being a political prisoner.
Also as Raltoid said, she's spent 37/47 years of her life in China. Coupled with her career choice, her government is the Chinese Government, not the Australian government despite what her papers say.
A valid opinion but I have a different take on her story. Given her Chinese background and immigrant status it is perfectly reasonable for her to end up working in China. You have to understand a few points.
- She really wanted to be a Journalist/News Anchor but was convinced to go into Finance by her father because in all honesty her prospects of becoming a news anchor in Australia were near zero at the time. SBS would be her only prospect but the token east-asian slot was already filled by Lee Lin Chin
- Relations between China and Australia at the turn of the century (early 2000s) were very different than they were now. China's meteoric growth meant that loads of Australians and westerners in general, not just Chinese Australians were moving to China to find their fortunes. It is not unusual at all for her to have a career based in China
- She wanted to pursue her media dreams. Given the pan-asian if not globalistic economic culture that was emerging at the time it is not unusual that she was hired as a correspondent by CNBC and then ultimately achieving status as a news anchor for CCTV. Even today in 2023 I'd say her prospects of becoming a news anchor in Australia are below 1% no matter how hard or qualified she is.
Tldr; she wanted to be a news lady, not a speck of a chance that would happen in Australia, used her Chinese background and the prevailing economic winds at the time to nail that dream in China.
Yeah there were plenty of warning signs and opportunities to leave but when you've built an outstanding career over 20 years it is hard to leave. It'd be like finally getting to be footy captain and then calling it quits. Also when you have lived and worked in China (or anywhere) for that long everything gets normalised. The bribes, corruption, harsh penalties and censorship of the state become part of everyday life, things that are objectively wrong don't feel wrong anymore. Just like how we in Australia have become accustomed to paying ridiculous fines, levys, fees and insurances. Also uh... COVID kinda made it hard to escape. Australia wouldn't have let you in and China wouldn't have let you return to your job. Many at that time were hoping to ride out the storm.
She is indeed, to a degree, a victim of her own ambition but given thr above I can't really say it's a "leopards ate my face" situation. Perhaps in some warped way she thought that being a state media shill would offer her some insurance against detainment but in reality it only made her an even more attractive target for the increasingly heavy handed Chinese State authorities.
She is 100% being used as a political weapon against Australia as every day she is being detained erodes the value of Australian Citizenship. There will be plenty who will argue "weelll she's not really one of us is she?" but that only serves to tear apart our multicultural values which benefits the geopolitical power of the Chinese State. One of China's problems continues to be the massive flight of human capital (and in turn $$$) from their shores. Power plays like this demonstrate to that nobody in China is untouchable and furthermore a foreign citizenship is worthless even if you obtain one. A truly twisted way to enforce loyalty among your own populace.
Finally she gets to write one letter home per month. Wouldn't believe most of what's written as you can guarantee that shit is heavily curated to hit us in the feels.
There will be plenty who will argue “weelll she’s not really one of us is she?” but that only serves to tear apart our multicultural values
I disagree. I think, like the referendum, this issue is shining a light on the minority of people in Australia who don't share our multicultural values. The people who say "she's not one of us" never shared our national values.
That will, absolutely, tear apart relationships in Australia short term, however I think it will make Australia stronger in the long run. It's easier to deal with the racist fucks in this country when we know who they are.
Power plays like this demonstrate to that nobody in China is untouchable and furthermore a foreign citizenship is worthless even if you obtain one.
Surely what it demonstrates is once you have foreign citizenship, don't go back to China?
The warning signs are all there. It's no coincidence that China has become more belligerent as their economy has faltered, they are a dictatorship and they need to divert the attention. Expect more of the same or even dialled up a notch or two as stagnation becomes long term.
Second I wouldn't say being a journalist in China has any prestige. Certainly not any investigative journalism there. You're just told to say what you're told to say, you can pick some random person off the street for that, I mean how hard is that? Would her "experience" mean much outside of China? It's like a person having 10 years experience but never moved beyond the duties of a graduate.
Third she could have gone to Taiwan. If she's struggling to get a job in Australia (I assume due to language abilities?) Taiwan speaks her native language so she would fit right in there and not be in this predicament.
But the end of the day they target us because we can't do anything to counter it. Americans would probably lock up a Chinese citizen on trumped up terrorism charges as leverage whereas Australia doesn't.
Her situation is regrettable nonetheless; but I agree with you, I don’t understand why any Western journalist would work onsite in a country without freedom of the press or human rights. And I don’t just mean China but Russia, Iran, etc. It’s just far too dangerous, and the reporting you do won’t reach local ears anyway.
Jesus Christ that's horrifying. I'd be pissed at my government if I were her
While the conditions are terrible and it's obviously a made up charge, her governement is pretty much China.
She was born in China and lived in Australia from she was 10 until she was 20-21 and then she moved to China, where she has lived for the last 27 years. So ~37 of her 47 years was spent in China, and over a decade of that was spent working for a governement owned propaganda outlet.
She is technically an Australian citizen, which she became in 2003, after she had already moved to China.
Important context, thanks. Her letter reads totally different now.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Australian journalist Cheng Lei, who was arrested and jailed in China three years ago, has released her first public statement describing the harsh conditions of her imprisonment and how much she misses Australia.
Ms Cheng, now 48, was working as a broadcast journalist at Chinese state-owned media, CGTN, when she was arrested on August 13, 2020, accused of "supplying state secrets overseas" — an allegation she rejects.
She was put in Residential Surveillance at a Dedicated Facility (RSDF) — a form of detention criticised by human rights groups where detainees are unable to have contact with the outside world.
Mr Coyle said after exiting the Residential Surveillance at a Dedicated Facility system, Ms Cheng has been able to write a letter to her children and parents once a month.
Since the change of federal government in Australia, the relationship has improved, with Beijing issuing an invitation this year for the Australian prime minister to travel to China.
The embassy also said, "based on humanitarian considerations, China is ready to listen to Australia's demands and provide assistance within the scope of legal provisions."
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