Cheng Lei: Australian TV presenter is freed by China and finally returns home to Melbourne after three years in a ‘black jail’ accused of spying

Australian journalist Cheng Lei has arrived home safely in Australia after she was detained in China for more than three years.

Anthony Albanese announced the Chinese government had released Ms Cheng on Wednesday afternoon, confirming he had spoken to the TV reporter after she flew into Melbourne to be reunited with her two children.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong welcomed the journalist at the airport. The Australian government had been fighting for Ms Cheng’s release since she was detained in August, 2020.

Ms Cheng, who worked as a correspondent for CGTN, a Chinese state media outlet, had been accused of illegally supplying state secrets overseas and was detained by the Chinese Ministry of State Security.

She has denied the allegations to which the full extent of have not been made public. 

Australian journalist Cheng Lei has arrived safely in Australia after she was detained in China for three years

‘Her return brings an end to a very difficult few years for Ms Cheng and her family,’ Mr Albanese said on Wednesday.

‘This is an outcome that the Australian government has been seeking for a long time and her return will be warmly welcomed, not just by her family and friends but all Australians.’

Mr Albanese asked Ms Cheng’s privacy be respected ‘as she adjusts to what has obviously been a very difficult and traumatic period’. 

‘She’s a very strong and resilient person,’ he added.

While behind bars, Ms Cheng, 48, was not allowed to speak with her children, aged 14 and 11, who have been living in Melbourne with her mother. 

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In August, Ms Cheng revealed in a heartbreaking letter what life in detention was like.

The letter was passed to an Australian consular official in Beijing and given to her partner, Nick Coyle, who then sent it to Australian media outlets. 

Ms Cheng wrote that she only received 10 full hours of sunlight a year, used ‘daggy Aussie humour’ to keep her spirits up and secretly mouthed Australian place names to remind herself of ‘freedom’. 

Ms Cheng is seen with her partner Nick Coyle 

‘I miss the sun. In my cell, the sunlight shines through the window but I can stand in it for only 10 hours a year,’ the message read. 

‘Every year the bedding is taken into the sun for two hours to air, when it came back last time, I wrapped myself in the doona and pretended I was being hugged by my family under the sun. 

‘I can’t believe I used to avoid the sun when I was living back in Australia, although knowing Melbourne weather, it will probably rain for the first two weeks after I return.’ 

Ms Cheng said another thing she desperately missed was Aussie humour.

The letter began with the line: ‘G’day Aussies, excuse the daggy slang from someone in need of ‘ockerism’.’

‘Growing up Chinese Australian, I had two identities that would often fight for the upper hand depending on the context and the company, but in humour, the Aussie humour wins hands down every time,’ she said.

‘Even though we speak different languages and eat different meals, we laugh the same and have an eye for the absurd.’ 

More to come