China detains Chinese-Aussie author over 'national security'

Yang Hengjun

Beijing: China said Thursday that Chinese-Australian author and democracy advocate Yang Hengjun was detained on national security grounds, becoming the latest Western citizen to face such accusations from Beijing.

Australia demanded that Yang - a former Chinese diplomat - be treated "fairly and transparently" and complained that Beijing had waited four days, instead of three as required, to notify Canberra about his detention. Yang was detained shortly after he made a rare return to China from the United States last week.

"Beijing state security took compulsory measures against Australian national Yang Jun and are investigating because he is suspected of engaging in criminal activities that endanger China's national security," said Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying, using Yang's official name. Once described as China's "most influential political blogger", Yang became an Australian citizen in 2000, but is currently based at New York's Columbia University. His criticism of the Chinese government and support for democracy has in the past made him a target of Beijing's state security apparatus.

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