“I miss the sun. Only 10 hours of sunlight comes in a year.”
Cheng Lei, 48, a Chinese-Australian journalist who has been detained in mainland China for three years, has released a message about her situation for the first time.
On the 10th (local time), Chung Lei’s lover, Nick Coyle, former president of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, appeared on ABC Australia and read a letter from Chung먹튀검증 Lei delivered by an Australian diplomat. Currently, it is known that Lei Cheung is only allowed to meet with Australian diplomats in China for 30 minutes each month.
According to the letter, Qing Lei is detained in a prison where only 10 hours of sunlight per year are allowed. Cheung Lei also said that she missed her daughter and son very much, now in high school, and hoped to return to their daily life in Australia. His daughter is currently in high school, and his son will go to high school next year.
Former chairman Coyle explained that it was in September of last year that Chung Lei was able to write to him. The statement, made on the 27th of last month, said it was a message to Australians.
Cheung Lei was born in China and moved to Australia with his family at the age of 10. He is an Australian citizen. Since 2003, he has worked as an English anchor for China’s central CCTV economic channel in Beijing, and has gone through foreign media experience such as CNBC . He later rose to fame in 2012 when he returned as an anchor for CCTV ‘s English broadcasting channel CGTN .
However, the Chinese government arrested Chung Lei in August 2020 on charges of “providing illegal state secrets abroad.” Cheung Lei was tried behind closed doors in a Beijing court in March of last year, but has so far been detained without a verdict.
In addition to Cheng Lei, Chinese authorities also arrested Chinese-Australian writer Yang Hengjun in January 2019 on charges of espionage and detained without trial.
The Australian government expresses concern to Chinese authorities over delays in the handling of Lei Chung’s case and is asking permission to meet Lei Cheung and his family.
“His message shows his deep love for Australia and all Australians want to see him reunited with his children,” said Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong.
“We ask the Chinese government to meet the requirements of procedural fairness and humane treatment in accordance with international norms,” it added.
The detention of Qing Lei and Yang Hengjun took place amidst a sharp conflict between Australia and China, which led to criticism that China was engaging in “hostage diplomacy.” However, attention is also focused on the fate of the two as relations between the two countries show signs of improving, such as the center-left Labor Party government taking office in Australia in May of last year.