An espionage case hurts Chinese relations with Australia
The mysterious story of Yang Hengjun who is now sentenced to death
In November Anthony Albanese, Australia’s prime minister, met Xi Jinping, China’s leader, in Beijing. Mr Xi declared that China and Australia had “embarked on the right path of improving relations” after years of estrangement. Just over two months later that path has a big pothole. On February 5th Yang Hengjun, an Australian citizen (pictured), was given a suspended death sentence by a Chinese court, after facing charges of espionage.
Explore more
This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “So much for rapprochement”
From the February 10th 2024 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from China
Liberalism is far from dead in China
Despite an intense clampdown, it may even be drawing more adherents
How to get kicked out of China’s Communist Party
Officials are trying to expel slackers and the superstitious
Why Xi Jinping is envious of his predecessor
China’s ruler would like to grab Deng Xiaoping’s legacy
China’s new age of swagger and paranoia
It wants to be a “strong tiger” not a “fat cat”
Is Xi Jinping an AI doomer?
China’s elite is split over artificial intelligence
In China’s “median city” people are surprisingly risk-averse
Our columnist travels there to ask ordinary people two mega-questions