Hope for a quick one reconciliation between Australia and China were crushed on Monday when a court in Beijing ruled a capital punishment Australian citizen Yang Hengjunhighlight pro-democracy activist and writer born in China.
The court’s February 5 verdict, which found Yang guilty of espionage, stunned Australia, especially given the recent release of Australian journalist Cheng Lei last October after three years in prison. The decision to give Yang the death penalty, along with a suspended sentence for his conduct, dealt a serious blow to Canberra’s efforts to mend ties with China.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese responded to the ruling, vowing to continue to advocate strongly on Yang’s behalf.
“We have conveyed our outrage at this verdict.”
The consequences of Yang’s sentence were immediate. Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade summoned China’s ambassador to Australia for an explanation, signaling the seriousness of the situation. Prime Minister Albanese remained tight-lipped about the future of an invitation to Chinese Premier Li Qiang to visit Australia, emphasizing a direct approach to diplomatic relations.
Yang’s 2019 jailing has already strained bilateral relations, exacerbated by Australia’s decisions such as blocking Huawei from its 5G network and passing laws to curb foreign interference. Despite the first signs of rapprochement following Albanese’s election, Yang’s ruling casts a shadow of doubt over the trajectory of Australia-China relations, Asia News Network reported.
Analysts, including Dr Feng Chongyi of the University of Technology Sydney, suggest Beijing’s ultimate aim is to establish dominance over Australia while maintaining a semblance of stability. Meanwhile, experts such as Richard McGregor highlight the increasing persistence of China’s Ministry of State Security, evident in Yang’s case.
Reflecting on the situation, McGregor aptly summed up the current state of affairs.
“The Albanian government has built a limit on the relationship, but there is an upper limit, and it’s quite low.”
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