In a Beijing court on Monday, Australian writer Yang Hengjun received a suspended death sentence on espionage charges, casting a shadow over the recent improvement in relations between China and Australia. Yang, a pro-democracy blogger and Australian citizen, faced the verdict five years after his detention in China and three years after a closed-door trial.
The unexpected ruling has shocked Yang’s family and supporters, jeopardizing the diplomatic thaw that had followed years of strained ties between Beijing and Canberra. The sentence could strain relations further, which until late 2021 had been marked by tensions over trade, COVID-19, and regional security.
Yang, born in China and working in New York before his arrest in 2019, had previously served in China’s Ministry of State Security. Accused of spying for an undisclosed country, the details of the case remain undisclosed. The spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Yang was found guilty of espionage and received a suspended death sentence with two years of probation.
Analysts believe the verdict could impact the recent warming of relations between the two nations. Feng Chongyi, a scholar in Sydney and a friend of Yang, criticized the ruling, describing it as a “serious case of injustice.” Yang had consistently denied the charges, and Chongyi urged the Australian government to seek medical parole for him due to his declining health after five years of detention.
Australia expressed its deep dismay over the decision, with Foreign Minister Penny Wong noting that the sentence could be commuted to life imprisonment after two years if Yang avoids serious crimes during that period. Yang’s family, devastated by the news, had previously written to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, requesting his release on medical grounds.
The sentencing follows a recent improvement in Australia-China relations, evident in Albanese’s visit to China last year – the first by an Australian leader since 2016. The current verdict, however, adds complexity to diplomatic efforts and may hinder further reconciliation.
