Thread: Last two Australian correspondents pulled out of China after five-day diplomatic stan

The ABC and Australian Financial Review have rushed their China correspondents out of the country after police demanded interviews with both journalists, resulting in an extraordinary diplomatic standoff.

Bill Birtles, the ABC's correspondent based in Beijing, and Mike Smith, the AFR's correspondent based in Shanghai, boarded a flight to Sydney last night after the pair were questioned separately by China's Ministry of State security.


Birtles had spent four days sheltering in Australia's Embassy in Beijing, while Smith took refuge in Australia's Shanghai consulate as diplomats negotiated with Chinese officials to allow them to safely leave the country.


The saga began early last week, when Australian diplomats in Beijing cautioned Birtles that he should leave China, with officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade giving the same advice to ABC's managing director David Anderson in Sydney.


Subsequent advice prompted the ABC to organise flights back to Australia for Birtles. He was due to depart last Thursday morning.


But the threatening behaviour from Chinese officials peaked before he could leave, when seven police officers arrived at Birtles' apartment at midnight last Wednesday as he was holding farewell drinks with friends and colleagues.


They told him he was banned from leaving the country, and that he would be contacted the next day to organise a time to be questioned over a "national security case".

MORE Last two Australian correspondents pulled out of China after five-day diplomatic standoff over national security case - ABC News

Has to be tit-for-tat . . . get rid of any China journalists, 'cultural' representatives etc...

And when you do that the chinkies will squeal like schoolgirls. Again.

Their self-righteous, prissy hyperbole is indeed rather unique, though Kim-boy does a good copy.

Interview with one of the journalists, once back in Australia and doing the 2 week quarantine.

When Chinese State Security police knocked on ABC journalist Bill Birtles''' door, he realised he was no longer safe in China - ABC News

The Chinese really are in the kindergarten in regards to diplomacy. These two will probably still here from their sources and will be able to report what they like with impunity away from the Chinese.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

And when you do that the chinkies will squeal like schoolgirls. Again.

Originally Posted by Latindancer

Their self-righteous, prissy hyperbole is indeed rather unique, though Kim-boy does a good copy.

Originally Posted by Hugh Cow

The Chinese really are in the kindergarten in regards to diplomacy.

It really is quite astounding considering they constantly go on about 5000 years of civilisation - I get so tired of hearing it while they still eat with two sticks.
The 5000 years crap and the need to regain face after being humiliated and occupied by the west (and Japan) in the 1800s . What they don't seem to understand is that they are the only ones who still go on about it.

They need to grow up

I saw their return on TV tonight, and in the close background, during both their departure and arrival back in Oz, there were military guys loading and unloading luggage.

WTF ? The Oz government sent a military plane to collect them ?

Can't find anything about military aircraft, but it is doubtful as they flew directly fro Shanghai, I believe, and that would be a no-no.