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Wednesday, September 30, 2020, 17:47
Xinhua reporter still believes in China-Australia ties after raid
By Xinhua
Wednesday, September 30, 2020, 17:47 By Xinhua

This Sept 8, 2019  file photo shows the Chinese and Australian national flags on a celebration event in Sydney, Australia. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

SYDNEY - As an international news reporter with Xinhua News Agency, Yang Jingzhong has witnessed and documented many wonderful moments of China's opening-up and its integration with the world.

I firmly believe that the difficulties will not last long, and the prospect for friendly cooperation between the two countries remains bright.

Yang Jingzhong, reporter of Xinhua News Agency

However, an unjustifiable raid on Yang's apartment in Sydney three months ago has casted a shadow on his career.

In the early morning of June 26, heavy knocks on the door waked Yang. He got up and opened the door. It turned out to be members of the Australian Security Intelligence Agency and the police.

On groundless suspicion of possible violations of Australia's anti-foreign interference law, they demanded a search of Yang's apartment.

As soon as the intelligence members entered the apartment, they grabbed Yang's mobile phone out of his hands and immediately asked him not to touch any of his electronic and working equipment.

Yang argued that according to relevant laws, he has the right to seek consular protection and contact the Chinese Consulate General in Sydney and the headquarters of Xinhua News Agency, and then was allowed to do so, using a phone they provided.

The Chinese journalist was asked not to leave the apartment while the search was underway.

Sitting in the sofa in the living room with his daughter, who was also suddenly awakened and shocked, Yang watched the intelligence members scrabbling about in the rooms.

"Although I was shocked, I quickly calmed down, because I knew I had not broken any laws. But my daughter, who had never experienced anything like this before, was horrified," Yang said.

Around 10 agents rummaged through different rooms of Yang's apartment and recorded the whole process. Sitting in the living room, Yang could hear or see them opening drawers one after another.

For nearly seven hours, they searched the apartment thoroughly without missing any corner. They took away Yang's electronic devices, including his computers, mobile phones and iPad, as well as printed manuscripts and other materials.

Yang asked them to leave the search warrant, but was refused.

ALSO READ: Australia's actions against China reporters, academics slammed

After the incident, Yang learned about that four journalists working in Australia, including two females, from three Chinese media suffered such raids on the same day.

The Australian government's behavior has disrupted Chinese media's normal reporting activities, violated Chinese journalists' legitimate rights and jeopardized the physical and mental health of the concerned journalists as well as their families, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian

In the following two months, Yang's normal work and life in the country were completely disrupted.

As Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Sept 9, Australia has yet to provide a reasonable explanation for the searches.

Zhao stressed that Chinese media outlets in Australia strictly abide by local laws and regulations, and the Australian government's behavior has disrupted Chinese media's normal reporting activities, violated Chinese journalists' legitimate rights and jeopardized the physical and mental health of the concerned journalists as well as their families.

He added such action has fully exposed the hypocrisy of the "freedom of the press" and so-called "respect and protection of human rights" self-proclaimed by some Australians.

The Xinhua journalist arrived in the country in February 2018 and has since covered a variety of events concerning China-Australia people-to-people and economic exchanges.

"In a story I wrote on June 19, New South Wales State Premier Gladys Berejiklian expressed her willingness to continue making use of the provincial-state relations with Guangdong Province to strengthen friendly exchanges and practical cooperation with China in various fields, so as to push forward bilateral relations," Yang said.

READ MORE: Xinhua condemns Australia's raid on its reporter's residence

Since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1972, China has always regarded Australia as an important partner. In 2014, the bilateral relationship was upgraded to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

In recent years, the development of China-Australia relations has encountered some headwinds. In particular, some Australian politicians and media have regarded positive moves to promote bilateral cooperation as so-called "foreign interference."

However, Yang said that China-Australia friendship "enjoys a profound public support."

"I firmly believe that the difficulties will not last long, and the prospect for friendly cooperation between the two countries remains bright," he said.  

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