Australian journalist Cheng Lei arrives home after three years in a Chinese prison

The mother of two is back on home soil in Melbourne after a three-year ordeal. The Australian can reveal Canberra learned only in the past fortnight of the deal that would allow her release.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong with Cheng Lei at Melbourne airport on Wednesday. Picture: DFAT

Australian journalist Cheng Lei has been reunited with her two children in Melbourne, 1154 days after she was nabbed by Beijing’s security state and thrown into a Chinese penal nightmare.

Cheng, 48, arrived in Melbourne on Wednesday just before 3pm on-board an Air China plane, ending an ordeal that has been hugely damaging to the bilateral relationship.

“Tight hugs, teary screams, holding my kids in the spring sunshine. Trees shimmy from the breeze. I can see the entirety of the sky now! Thank you Aussies,” she said in a statement

Cheng was accompanied on the direct flight from Beijing – where she had been imprisoned without sentencing since August 2020 – by Australia’s Ambassador to China Graham Fletcher. On her arrival she was met by Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who had brought up Cheng in every encounter with her Chinese counterparts since she was sworn in 18 months ago.

A source familiar with Cheng’s condition said she was “in good health and good spirits”.

The Australian can reveal Canberra learned only in the past fortnight of a deal that would allow her release.

It involved her pleading guilty to the vague “state secrets” charges that Beijing had made against her, which Canberra has long viewed as trumped up and politically motivated. Her time in custody in her Beijing cell covered the nearly 3-year sentence.

Cheng’s release comes weeks before Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will travel to Beijing to meet Xi Jinping.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said late on Wednesday that the Beijing Second Intermediate People’s Court had sentenced Cheng to two years and 11 months in prison for “illegally providing state secrets abroad, with additional deportation”.

The Chinese government official said she was “deported by the Beijing Municipal State Security Bureau in accordance with the law” after serving her sentence.

“China’s judicial organs heard relevant cases and made judgments in accordance with the law, fully guaranteed the rights enjoyed by the parties in accordance with the law, and respected and implemented the Australian consular rights such as consular visits and notifications,” Mr Wang said.

In a separate statement, China’s Ministry of State Security said Ms Cheng had been “coaxed” by a person working at an overseas media agency into “illegally” sharing “state secrets”.

China’s powerful security agency said she had “violated” CGTN’s “confidentiality clause” by sharing information which she was privy to in her job, using her mobile phone.

“She truthfully confessed the facts of the crime and voluntarily pleaded guilty and accepted punishment,” the security agency said in a statement released late on Wednesday.

The arrest of Cheng – who until her imprisonment was an anchor on China’s state broadcaster CGTN – sent shockwaves through the Australian community in China, where she was a popular figure. She was imprisoned in Beijing during the most spectacular breakdown in Australia’s half a century old relationship with China, leading many in the government to believe she had been taken hostage.

Warwick Smith, who last month met with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing as a member of an Australian government delegation, welcomed Cheng’s release but said her treatment by the Chinese government had been a debacle.

Mr Smith, the head of the Business Council of Australia’s global engagement committee, said her ongoing imprisonment was untenable as Mr Albanese’s trip approached.

“Our Prime Minister couldn’t possibly have visited while she was locked up,” he told The Australian.

Fellow Australian Yang Hengjun, a writer, remains in prison in Beijing. He was arrested in January 2019, nearly five years ago, and has still not been sentenced.

A friend of Dr Yang, who has suffered kidney health concerns, said his “situation remains as grim as ever”.

Speaking in Melbourne on Wednesday afternoon, Mr Albanese said he had spoken to Ms Chen over the phone.

“Her return brings an end to a very difficult few years for Ms Cheng and her family,” he said.

“This is an outcome that the Australian government has been seeking for a long period of time and her return will be warmly welcomed, not just by her family and friends, but by all Australians.

“When I spoke to Ms Cheng I welcomed her home on behalf of her Australians.”

He said he intended to visit China this year and talked up his government’s role in improving relations.

“We will travel there and that will be a good thing,” he said. “Already, I’ve met with President Xi … I’ve met with Premier Li, our Defence Ministers have met. Our Trade Ministers have met. Our Foreign Ministers have met.

“That engagement is a good thing. Dialogue is a good thing to occur.”

Mr Albanese said he had made personal pleas for Cheng’s release to President Xi and Premier Li Keqiang, while the government had also repeatedly made private representations.

All Australians will be relieved to hear that Ms Cheng Lei has returned to her family after more than three years apart.

The Government has consistently advocated for Ms Cheng since her detention in August 2020.

An honour to welcome her home to Australia today. pic.twitter.com/qIANwN7J2T

— Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong) October 11, 2023

Peter Dutton said Cheng’s release would be a “moment of great relief and joy” to her partner Nick Coyle and children.

“We thank all of those who have worked tirelessly over three years to secure this outcome and acknowledge everyone who has advocated for Ms Cheng’s release,” the Opposition Leader said in a joint statement with opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham.

“Particular acknowledgment is owed to Australia’s Ambassador to China, Graham Fletcher, along with many DFAT officers and consular officials.

“We also acknowledge the government’s efforts to continue the work of former foreign minister Marise Payne to secure Ms Cheng’s release and their provision of regular confidential briefings to the opposition on the situation.

“After three years of uncertainty, secrecy and zero transparency we are thankful this painful episode for Ms Cheng and her family has come to a welcome end.”

Mr Dutton said the Coalition remained concerned about Dr Yang Hengjun, who has been in prison for 1,726 days and has still not been sentenced.