Anthony Albanese has been criticized for his extraordinary response to China’s brazen attempt to block an Australian journalist inside Parliament.
At an event in Canberra on Monday with Albanese and Chinese Premier Li Qiang, two Chinese embassy officials tried to stop cameras from filming Cheng Lei, who was sitting in the press gallery.
Lei worked for China’s English-language news channel until 2020, when she was jailed in China for three years on charges she reported on state secrets, which she later revealed were based on her breaking an embargo by “a few minutes.”
Albanese was questioned about the incident in Parliament shortly afterwards and appeared to ignore it, claiming he “didn’t see” it unfold.
His reaction sparked an immediate backlash, with ordinary Australians joining politicians in criticizing the comment and demanding a stronger response.
Albanese was forced to denounce the behavior on Tuesday, calling it “clumsy” before insisting there should be “no impediments” to journalists doing their work in Australia.
Chinese embassy officials at an event in Parliament tried to stop cameras from filming Australian journalist Cheng Lei, previously imprisoned in China on unfounded espionage charges.
When later asked about the incident, Mr Albanese said he had not seen it.
Albanese was first questioned about the act on Monday after a journalist, who was sitting next to Lei, asked the Prime Minister for his opinion.
“Is it acceptable to have brought that kind of behavior to the heart of Australian democracy in Parliament?” Mr Albanese was asked.
“Well, I didn’t see that,” he replied.
‘I saw Cheng Lei and we smiled at each other, but I’m not aware of those problems.
“It’s important that people are allowed to participate fully and that’s what should happen in this building or anywhere else in Australia.”
Former 3AW radio host Neil Mitchell said if the Prime Minister really hadn’t seen it then it was “absurd” he hadn’t been told immediately after the high-level diplomatic event.
“This was on our soil,” Mitchell said.
Some accused Albanese of “sitting on the fence” with his evasive response, while others went further claiming he was “shrunken” and “weak.”
“Disgraceful behavior by Chinese thugs,” one person wrote on X.
“That Albo turns a blind eye is just as bad.”
“This is appalling behavior that should only exist in communist countries… we have a prime minister who grovels before the hammer and sickle,” said another.
“He didn’t even say he would look into it or raise it (with Chinese representatives),” a third added.
Former radio host Neil Mitchell said it was absurd that the prime minister was not immediately informed, considering the status of the high-level event involving the Chinese premier.
Other Australians said Albo’s “turning a blind eye” was as bad as China’s attempted censorship.
Others accused the prime minister of being “weak” and “sitting on the fence”
Albanese told Perth Morning Radio on Tuesday that his government had followed up on the matter.
“Sky News reporter Cheng Lei, who recently spent three years in a Chinese jail, appeared to be blocked from view by members of the Chinese contingent. Does that worry you when it’s an Australian journalist in Australia doing her job?” host Mark Gibson asked.
‘Oh, it does. And our officials have contacted the Chinese embassy to express our concern, Mr. Albanese responded.
“When you look at the footage, frankly, it was a pretty clumsy attempt by a couple of people to get between where the cameras were and where Cheng Lei was sitting.
‘Australian officials intervened, as they should have, to ask the Chinese officials who were there at the press conference to move. And they do it like that.
‘And in fact, when I held my press conference, Cheng Lei asked me the first question.
‘I met with Cheng Lei after we helped her secure her return home. She visited me in Parliament, in my office, and she is a very decent human being and a very professional journalist.
‘There should be no impediments to Australian journalists doing their jobs. And we have made it clear to the Chinese embassy.”
Opposition leader Peter Dutton backed the government’s protest at the Chinese embassy, but also accused Albanese of lying when he originally said he was unaware of the incident.
“I want to point out that yesterday the Prime Minister clearly misled the Australian people when he stood up and gave a press conference and said that he didn’t hear anything about it, that he didn’t understand what the question was, or that he didn’t know anything about it, is completely unconscionable. “, he claimed.
Video footage of the incident in question shows the officer refusing repeated polite requests to move.
After being rejected, an Australian parliamentary official demanded: “You are standing in front of my Australian colleague; you must move.”
Another journalist then offered to swap seats with Lei, allowing him to move two seats to the right.
Two Chinese embassy officials (center) stand between the cameras and Lei (sitting behind them, not visible)
Lei (looking to his left) then swapped seats with the woman in the blue jacket.
But then another Chinese embassy official tried to approach her to block her view.
An Australian official responded by physically placing himself between Lei and the Chinese officials to protect the Sky News presenter.
Lei was imprisoned by Chinese authorities in 2020 after being accused of “illegally supplying state secrets abroad”, accusations that were unfounded.
He returned home to Melbourne last year after a three-year ordeal in prison and landed a job at Sky News.
Lei later said officials went to “great efforts” to hide her from view and that it was a “bad look.”
“They did everything they could to block me from the cameras,” he told Sky News.
“I just assume this is to prevent me from saying or doing anything that they think would be a bad look, but that in itself was a bad look.”
The entire strange interaction lasted the entire 20 minutes of the press conference.
Lei said it was typical of Chinese officials to try to convey a “friendly facade” during official visits.
“Well, it’s typical at these events,” he said.
“Especially if they put a premium on the friendly façade, that they’re carefully staging voices of dissent or the presence of someone who’s a little bit controversial, it doesn’t hurt that.”
The bizarre incident lasted about 20 minutes and embassy officials continued their attempt to block Lei before an Australian government staff member (white jacket) intervened.
The Sky News presenter praised the response of Australian officials.
“Our officials behaved courteously and firmly, as they should have,” he added.
Australian political figures were quick to condemn the actions.
“This is inappropriate and unacceptable behavior on Australian soil,” opposition Home Affairs spokesman James Paterson posted on social media.
The incident at the press conference comes after pro- and anti-China protesters clashed on the lawn outside Parliament House.
Peaceful supporters in Tibet, a predominantly Buddhist region in far western China, were surrounded by counter-protesters who unfurled huge Chinese and Australian flags to hide them from view.
Some protesters carried huge flags combining the Chinese and Australian flags, while Tibetan supporters struggled to keep their banner up.
At one point, a fight broke out when a man fell to the ground and knocked over a raised speaker while a heavy police presence watched the confrontation.
One observer claimed that “people carrying Chinese flags were bussed and paid to ‘welcome’ Chinese Premier Li Qiang.”
