Australian writer Yang Hengjun (杨恒均) has written an open letter to Australian PM Anthony Albanese from his prison cell in Beijing
He thanks the Australian government and expresses his love for Australia. He also writes of his dream that the Chinese people “should be free from fear, persecution and poverty.”
Dr Yang, a former Chinese government official who migrated to Australia in 1998 and was a prolific pro-democracy blogger and novelist, also included Australia’s embrace of multiculturalism and protection of freedoms.
Concerns for Dr Yang’s health intensified last year with the revelation the 58-year-old had a large cyst on one of his kidneys.
While diplomatic breakthroughs on other fronts with China, including the release of journalist Cheng Lei and the winding back of effective trade bans, had raised some hopes of progress in Dr Yang’s status, government sources warned last year his case was “very different” and there has been little evidence of progress.
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