China to accused spy: Australia won’t help, you’re not white

Chinese police tried to break Yang Hengjun by telling him Canberra would not help him because he is ‘not white’.

Australian author Yang Hengjun, who has been detained in China. Picture: Supplied

Chinese secret police tried to break the spirit of Australian Yang Hengjun by telling him Canberra would not help him because he was “not white”, and the country was so economically reliant on China.

In a message related to his supporter­s via consular officials, Dr Yang issued a direct plea to Scott Morrison to “help me go home as soon as possible” after he was ­accused of spying.

Dr Yang, who faces another six months’ detention without access to a lawyer or family after his forma­l arrest on Friday, said he was indebted to Australian offic­ials who had visited him in detention, and to Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne for her strong advocacy on his behalf.

In Beijing on Tuesday night, China condemned a statement by Senator Payne warning Chinese authorities not to torture the ­Australian, saying it “deplores” her ­intervention and demanding she respect Chinese sovereignty.

But Senator Payne, who insists Dr Yang is not a spy, said that she wanted to make Australia’s expect­ations “very clear”.

Dr Yang said a Chinese Ministry of State Security officer told him the Australian government would not rescue him. “An (MSS) investigation officer told me that Australia was small and wouldn’t care about me,” he said in the message carried out by Australian consular staff this week.

“He said Australia was depend­ent on China for its trade and economy, and Canberra wouldn’t help me, let alone rescue me.

“He said Australia wouldn’t help because I am not white. This is nonsense. He was wrong.

“I am extremely grateful to the Australian Prime Minister, ­Foreign Minister and members of ­parliament, the embassy team, and the ­ambassador for their help.”

Dr Yang said in the message that he had devoted the past 15 years of his writing to China’s ­people, reform, and improving China-US and China-Australia relation­s, and did not deserve “this kind of treatment”.

Senator Payne hit out at Dr Yang’s treatment on Tuesday, saying­ she was “very concerned and disappointed” to learn of his arrest, and demanding that his human rights be respected.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Dr Yang was “in good physical con­dition”, and would be treated ­according to Chinese law. “China deplores the Australian statement on this case,” Mr Geng said.

“Australia should respect China’s judicial sovereignty and not interfere in any way in China’s lawful handling of the case.”

But Senator Payne said it was vital that Dr Yang was not tortured or mistreated in any way.

“We want to make it very clear that under no circumstances should an Australian citizen be exposed­ to any treatment of that sort,” she said yesterday.

“I think it is important to have laid that out clearly for the Aust­ralian community and for Dr Yang and for his family. Our post is continuing to advocate with Chinese authorities to ensure that he is ­detained in a manner which is in accord with international oblig­ations.”

Dr Yang, who became an Aust­ralian citizen in 2002, was detained­ after arriving in China in January on a flight from New York with his wife. Despite being a well-known political dissident, he had been ­allowed to travel in and out of China until he was picked up by a squad of up to 10 secret police at Guangzhou airport.