China denies knowledge of missing Aussie writer
By China correspondent Stephen McDonell
The Chinese government has denied any knowledge of a missing Australian author thought to have been detained by the secret police.
Australian writer Yang Hengjun went missing in Guangzhou on Sunday after telling friends he was being followed.
Though Dr Yang is primarily known for his spy novels, he has also generated considerable controversy in China by writing about political issues on his blog.
Last night, foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said she knew nothing of the case.
"I've not heard about this person's case," she said at the regular foreign ministry press conference, in response to a question from the ABC.
A sound on Dr Yang's Chinese phone indicates that his mobile is still cut off.
Last night his wife had still heard nothing about who might have taken her husband.
His colleagues believe he is being held by secret police.
Associate Professor Feng Chongyi, who was Dr Yang's PhD supervisor at the University of Technology in Sydney, says he has been pulling every string he can in China to try and find his friend.
"[Despite] all the effort by myself and his family members, we still couldn't locate him," he said.
"When I thought about it, he has been taken away by the secret police, because so many people - hundreds - have disappeared in the last month.
"He has published so much on the politically sensitive issues of democracy, human rights."
Before becoming an Australian, Yang Hengjun worked for China's foreign affairs department.
A statement released by Australia's Foreign Affairs Department said the Government was concerned by reports that he was missing.
"The Australian Consul General in Guangzhou is urgently seeking to confirm the man's whereabouts and wellbeing," the statement said.
According to a consular agreement between Beijing and Canberra, Chinese authorities must inform Australia sometime today if Dr Yang is being held.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard is due to arrive in China in a matter of weeks.
Apart from Dr Yang's case, there are allegations Chinese spies have been hacking into her computer.
The ABC put these claims to China's foreign ministry spokeswoman at the press conference.
"We hear about allegations like this now and then," Ms Jiang said.
"I don't know what evidence people have and what their motivations are but any accusations like this regarding China are groundless and there are ulterior motives behind them."
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011 ... 177236.htm
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I've never heard of the Australian spy novel writer Yang Hengjun.
ulterior motives indeed.
~A climate change denier is what an idiot calls a realist~https://g.co/kgs/6F5wtU
...plenty of red- tickets though.
