Australian father and pro-democracy writer Yang Hengjun has been sentenced to death by a Chinese court, with a two-year reprieve for good behavior. Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong has summoned China's ambassador to express concerns over the sentence and has pledged to support Yang and his family. Australian scholar Feng Chongyi was informed of the verdict by Yang's family in court, and the family has expressed devastation over the sentence. The Australian government, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, has expressed outrage at the sentence, with Dutton urging China's President Xi Jinping to reconsider the decision. The government has denied any prior consultation by China before the sentencing, despite China's claims to the contrary. Michael Kovrig commented on Beijing's aim to make Australia afraid, highlighting the growing power of the state security ministry under Xi Jinping.
From ministry of security to death sentence: How an Australian ended up in Beijing’s crosshairs. https://t.co/leThESUp7g
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has blasted the Coalition during Question Time calling them the “coalition of hatred”. https://t.co/CmrlPqFCjV
Liberal leader Peter Dutton has taken a swipe at Malcom Turnbull after the former prime minister called him a "thug" in the ABC's latest Nemesis documentary. https://t.co/zS0xPB5S3H
China has claimed it attempted to involve Australian officials to "sit in on" on Dr Yang Hengjun's trial before handing him a death sentence, despite the Albanese government denying any consultation ahead of the "harsh action". https://t.co/a7mYaoYa8Z
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says China's President Xi Jinping should "reconsider" the suspended death sentence handed to Yang Hengjun, saying the verdict has "tarnished" Beijing's reputation. https://t.co/6jo5x8PN4n
Former Labor Senator Stephen Conroy says the Coalition has to “stick to the message” that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese “can’t be trusted”. https://t.co/ULs1XQTKPO
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says his government has “conveyed our outrage” in response to China giving an Australian citizen a suspended death sentence. https://t.co/Yu6dewOP1R
SMH on Beijing's aim to make Australia afraid. Quotes Michael Kovrig saying how the powerful state security ministry, which under Xi Jinping has become hugely powerful, doesn’t give a damn about damage to Sino-Australian ties https://t.co/I1GRGLLGOC
The Albanese government is being urged to help an Australian-Chinese pro-democracy writer in any way it can after he was given a suspended death sentence by a Chinese court. https://t.co/ykAy9DIncE
Outcry as China imposes suspended death sentence on pro-democracy writer https://t.co/lWd6jrnbXr
The Australian’s Foreign Editor Greg Sheridan says China is a nation whose central strategic interests are “inimical” to Australia’s. https://t.co/oF1XqMM5uJ
Australia's Golden Goose unruffled as China crises come and go https://t.co/CY0zIxyeHT https://t.co/7CAbydqrOT
Former Labor minister Graham Richardson says the latest Newspoll results show “things are getting tougher” for the Liberal Party. https://t.co/kL1UQ8NHmx
For Australia, China has become the Golden Goose that's always about to stop laying https://t.co/Aqj6eFe3KE
For Australia, China has become the Golden Goose that's always about to stop laying. More here: https://t.co/VYHAGGjE9Y
⚠️ ANALYSIS-AUSTRALIA'S GOLDEN GOOSE UNRUFFLED AS CHINA CRISES COME AND GO (Reuters) For Australia, China has become the Golden Goose that's always about to stop laying. For more than three decades now, barely a year has passed where a China crisis was not just around the… https://t.co/G6aJnfomb9
Penny Wong was visibly shaken by the news that Yang Hengjun had been given a death sentence. But how can she condemn China while forging closer ties with Beijing?https://t.co/N2pc64lPDg
Government ‘appalled’ by suspended death sentence for Australian academic, Penny Wong says – video https://t.co/87yJKzwhsX
🔴 YANG HENGJUN'S FAMILY DEVASTATED BY SENTENCE - FAMILY STATEMENT
🔴 AUSTRALIA'S FOREIGN MINISTER SUMMONS CHINA'S AMBASSADOR TO EXPRESS CONCERNS OVER YANG HENGJUN'S SENTENCE
🔴 AUSTRALIA'S FOREIGN MINISTER PLEDGES TO SUPPORT YANG HENGJUN AND HIS FAMILY
Australian father Yang Hengjun has been sentenced to death by a Chinese court, but his life could be spared after a two-year-reprieve for good behaviour. https://t.co/Bgp8Qdxid1
🔴 AUSTRALIAN SCHOLAR FENG CHONGYI TOLD VERDICT BY YANG'S FAMILY IN COURT