Chinese officials' attempt to ‘block' formerly detained journalist mars Australia goodwill tour

Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s visit to Australia aims to repair strained relations between the two countries. However, tensions resurfaced when Chinese officials attempted to block an Australian reporter during a press briefing. The reporter, Cheng Lei, revealed that the officials went to great lengths to prevent her from appearing on camera. This behavior is seen as an attempt to present a friendly facade while silencing dissenting voices. China’s restrictive media control and history of arbitrary detentions have been criticized by Western nations. Cheng’s detention and the imprisonment of Australian citizen Yang Hengjun have been points of contention between the governments. Li’s visit intended to improve relations, focusing on cooperation agreements and gestures of goodwill.