Australian journalist Cheng Lei, who has been detained in China since August 2020 on charges of espionage, has sent a heartfelt letter describing her conditions in the Chinese prison. The letter, which Cheng Lei referred to as a love letter to 25 million people, was dictated to consular staff during a visit and was released by Lei’s partner.
Cheng Lei, who previously worked as a business television anchor for Chinese state television, was arrested in August 2020 for allegedly sharing state secrets with a foreign country. Her arrest came shortly after former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison called for an independent inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus. Many saw her arrest as an attempt by the Chinese regime to put pressure on Australia.
In her letter, Cheng Lei expressed her longing for the beauty of Australia, including the encounters with wildlife, the sea salt in her ears, and the sand between her toes. She also lamented the lack of sunlight in her prison cell, stating that she can only stand in the sunlight for 10 hours a year.
The most poignant part of the letter was Cheng Lei’s longing for her children. This is the first public statement from her since her arrest in 2020.
However, relations between Australia and China have started to improve since the Labor government, led by Anthony Albanese, came to power in 2022. Some of the punitive measures previously imposed by China have been relaxed, leading to speculation that Cheng Lei may be able to return to Australia.
There have been talks of Australian Prime Minister Albanese accepting an offer to visit China later this year after the country removed restrictions on Australian barley. In response to Cheng’s statement, Albanese remarked that it was very moving and demonstrated her love for Australia. He stated that the timing of his potential visit should not be seen as transactional, but that the issue of Cheng Lei’s detention needs to be resolved.
Albanese believes that after three years in detention, it is time for Cheng Lei’s situation to be resolved. He emphasized that visits, engagement, and dialogue should be constructive and not transactional.
The development in Australia-China relations and Albanese’s potential visit provide hope that Cheng Lei’s detention may soon come to an end. For now, her heartfelt letter serves as a reminder of the human cost of strained international relations.
