Australia 'Very Disappointed' After Journalists Bill Birtles And Michael Smith Forced To Flee China theguardian.com

Two Australian foreign correspondents in China have been urgently flown home after a tense diplomatic standoff, which Australia’s foreign minister called a “very disappointing series of events”.

The ABC’s Bill Birtles and the Australian Financial Review’s Michael Smith both left China on Monday night after reportedly being questioned by China’s ministry of state security.

“It’s very disappointing to have to leave under those circumstances,” Birtles said after returning to Sydney. “It’s a relief to be back in a country with genuine rule of law. But this was a whirlwind and it’s not a particularly good experience.”