China sentenced the Australian writer to “suspended execution”.
According to AFP, Yang Hongjun, who was born in China and is an Australian citizen, has been in prison in China since 2019 on charges of espionage, and it is said that his health is not very good.Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said at a press conference: “The Australian government is horrified by the verdict.”Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said in this regard that Yang Hengjun was found guilty of espionage and sentenced to death with a two-year term. Such sentences in China often turn into life imprisonment after 2 years.He emphasized that the court protected Yang’s legal rights in all stages and arranged for the representative of the Australian government to be present when the verdict was announced.Australia’s foreign minister noted: “We will announce our response in the strongest possible way.”Penny Wang reminded that Xiao Qian, the Chinese ambassador to Australia, will be summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of this country in protest. “I want to express the deep sadness that Dr. Young and his family will feel today after years of uncertainty,” he said.Australia’s foreign minister stated: We have consistently demanded “fundamental standards of justice and fairness in law enforcement and humane treatment” of our imprisoned citizens.Young’s sentence has been postponed many times since his closed trial on national security charges in May 1400. The Australian Foreign Minister added: “Australia will not relent in supporting justice for Dr. Young’s interests and well-being, including appropriate medical treatment. »Yang, who denies espionage claims, was arrested during a trip to China in December 2017.Not long ago, in October, Cheng Li, an Australian journalist, was released after three years of detention on charges of espionage in China.Tensions between Canberra and Beijing escalated in 2018 when Australia excluded technology company Huawei from its 5G network, according to AFP.Then in 2020, Australia called for an international investigation into the origin of the coronavirus; An action that China called politically motivated.In response, Beijing imposed steep tariffs on key Australian exports, including barley, beef and beverages, while halting its coal imports.Most of these tariffs were removed during the administration of former Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who made a successful visit to Beijing in November.