Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong expressed her deep concerns over the detention of China-born Australian journalist Cheng Lei, who has been imprisoned for nearly three years. Cheng was arrested by Chinese Communist Party (CCP) authorities in 2020 on charges of illegally supplying state secrets overseas. In a media statement to mark the anniversary of the trial, Wong said the Australian government is concerned about the delays in the case and has advocated for Cheng to be reunited with her young family. CCP authorities have regularly denied Australian consulate staff contact with Cheng. Cheng’s case was tried in secret at Beijing’s Second Intermediate Court, and Graham Fletcher, Australia’s ambassador to China, was not allowed to attend. Cheng’s partner, Nick Coyle, revealed that monthly consular visits and regular video meetings with Australian officials had been suspended due to CCP’s tight COVID-19 restrictions. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has been criticised for not speaking up for Cheng during his current diplomatic visit to Beijing. Andrews has been noted for his close association with the CCP, signing Victoria up for the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).