The Chinese Government accuses Australian officials of going beyond the duties of consular protection and obstructing police by offering refuge to journalists Bill Birtles and Mike Smith.
The Chinese Government has accused Australian officials of obstructing their law enforcement agencies when they sheltered two Australian journalists in diplomatic compounds last week.
But on Thursday night, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Australia's decision to shelter both men on diplomatic premises while the talks progressed was "an interference in China's internal affairs and judicial sovereignty". Australian and Chinese officials negotiated for days before reaching an agreement to lift the bans in exchange for the two journalists agreeing to be interviewed.
Birtles and Smith had met Cheng Lei, but neither knew her well. Both men said they believed they were being deliberately harassed by the Chinese Government.
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