The last two journalists working in China for Australian media outlets - the ABC’s Bill Birtles andThe Australian Financial Review’s Mike Smith - hurriedly left the country last year after adiplomatic stand-off in which police demanded interviews with both reporters.
The two journalists left days after the Chinese government confirmedthe arrest of Cheng Lei,an Australian journalist working for Chinese state media.
Appearing at the National Press Club alongside China’s deputy head of mission,Mr Smith responded to Mr Wang by saying it was not a good situation “when your employer and government doesn’t feel like you’re safe,and have to leave”.
“I don’t think it does China any favours,” he said. “All the reporting on China is from outside China,and obviously that has a certain slant and,I mean,some of the best stories we did were out on the road,talking to ordinary people in China and getting those nuances and,you know,I think that’s the sort of one of the big tragedies out of this.”
Mr Wang said he would continue to discuss the situation with Mr Smith and insisted it was not the Chinese government’s intention for the two reporters to leave.
“I’m quite sympathetic with Michael and Bill because it was not the embassy,my embassy,or ... any of our Chinese authorities who advised them to leave,” he said.