China formally arrests Australian TV anchor on spying allegations: Faces life in prison or even death penalty if found guilty

CBS News ^ | 02/08/2021

[SeekAndFind]

China has formally arrested a Chinese-born Australian journalist for CGTN, the English-language channel of China Central Television, on suspicion of illegally supplying state secrets overseas, Australia's foreign minister said Monday. The arrest of Cheng Lei last Friday starts an official criminal investigation and came six months after she was detained.

"The Australian government has raised its serious concerns about Ms. Cheng's detention regularly at senior levels, including about her welfare and conditions of detention," Foreign Minister Marise Payne said.

"We expect basic standards of justice, procedural fairness and humane treatment to be met, in accordance with international norms," she added.

China's Foreign Ministry confirmed Cheng's arrest and said her legal rights were being "fully guaranteed."

"We hope that Australia will earnestly respect China's judicial sovereignty and refrain from interfering in China's law-based handling of cases in any way," ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a daily briefing.

The charges, which could result a penalty of life in prison or even death, are highly unusual for an employee of a media outlet tightly controlled by China's ruling Communist Party. The British media watchdog Ofcom last week stripped CGTN of its U.K. broadcasting license because of a lack of editorial control and is investigating complaints that it ran forced confessions by suspects involved in political cases.

Worsening bilateral relations since Australia called for an independent investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic are suspected to be the cause of Cheng's arrest.

Cheng's two children, aged 9 and 11, are living with their grandmother in Melbourne, Australia, the journalist's niece, Louisa Wen, said.

"I feel like the children don't fully understand the situation, so it's probably quite tough on the kids wondering what's going on," Wen said.

[Red Badger]

China is sending a message to the Aussies:

Don’t mess with us.....................

[brownsfan]

China is the big dog. They bought America’s government and threw out a president that was causing them trouble. They are capable of doing anything, and most likely will.

[Sirius Lee]

What a contrast. We give chinee spies important congressional committee and departmental seats .

[PIF]

Perhaps we should hand out the death penalty to 100 of theirs for each one of ours they off. In a better world, not ruled by China

[JayAr36]

China is sending a message to the Aussies

This may also be the warning to those of us that still believe in the Constitution by those in power here.

[ETL]

“Biden has said China isn’t a threat and has downplayed their ongoing campaigns to undermine the U.S. geopolitically, militarily and economically.

“China is going to eat our lunch? Come on, man,” Biden said during an Iowa campaign stop last summer. “I mean, you know, they’re not bad folks, folks. But guess what? They’re not competition for us.” “The fact of the matter is we can do all we need to do without punishing anybody,” he continued.

Biden’s position on China is dangerous and not based in reality. For years the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been sending Chinese students to America’s top doctorate programs in order to gain access to university research labs. There, they steal intellectual property from the highest levels of U.S. science.

Now, we know China’s dangerous handling of viruses in its own labs has led to one of the most devastating and fastest economic destructions in global history.”

The Hill, Katie Pavlich, opinion contributor — 04/29/20

[GrandJediMasterYoda]

Interesting. So now that China rules us, will they be arresting B.Hussein and the FBI anytime soon for spying on Trump?

[Organic Panic]

We give Chinese spies government jobs.

[albie]

“IF found guilty”?! By her arrest, in CCP terms, she’s guilty. You’re guilty before, whether or not and after you’re proven guilty in CCP.

[PeachyKeen]

Truth! Trump was all alone and did what he could. Bless him!

[beethovenfan]

“We can spy, but you can’t.”

[Navy Patriot]

China formally arrests Australian TV anchor on spying allegations: Faces life in prison or even death penalty if found guilty

Excellent, I look forward to his execution.

Hopefully, more journalists will object to China and their Stooges ... worldwide.

[Navy Patriot]

Perhaps we should hand out the death penalty to 100 of theirs for each one of ours they off.

That would certainly cost a lot of US Government workers and US Journalists.

[ifinnegan]

She worked for a ChiCom propaganda TV channel.

[nickcarraway]

I’m sur he’ll get a fair trial.

[nickcarraway]

China has a lot of economic control over Australia.

[PIF]

That would certainly cost a lot of US Government workers and US Journalists.

—
A cost well worth the expense of the rounds ...

[Major Matt Mason]

So, who in the Biden government blew the whistle on this guy?

[Scrambler Bob]

Dear Australia,

Are you going to look out for your fellows?