Australia slams ‘arbitrary detention’ of academic in China

SYDNEY: Australia’s foreign minister hit out at the "arbitrary detention" of academic and writer Yang Jun on Friday after a verdict in his closed espionage trial was deferred by a Beijing court.

The trial for the Chinese-born Australian, who also goes by his pen name Yang Hengjun, began Thursday, but the court decided to delay a verdict and a sentence, Foreign Minister Marise Payne said in a statement.

"Given our enduring concerns about this case, including the lack of detail as to the charges and the investigation made available to Dr Yang and to Australia, we consider this to be an instance of arbitrary detention of an Australian citizen," Payne said.