Since 2012, the Chinese government has tightened its grip on civil society, citing national security and stability as main motivations. (Photo : Getty Images)
Feng Chongyi, an academic based in Sydney, has finally returned to Australia after being detained in China for several weeks, the Strait Times reported.
Feng was in mainland China to conduct field interviews for a project on Chinese human rights lawyers. Although he is a permanent resident in Australia, Feng continues to hold a Chinese passport.
“If they wanted to scare me they failed miserably,” Feng told Reuters in an interview. “I’m not scared of them. I did not do anything illegal.”
During his detention, Feng underwent daily interrogations. The real motivations behind his detention by Chinese authorities remain unclear, although the reputation of academics, lawyers, and activists might have had something to do with it. In China, the government is wary of such professionals, believing they are working with foreign organizations to stir unrest and opposition against the government.
It just so happens that Feng, a renowned expert on China Studies at the University of Technology Study, is working on a project deemed by the Chinese government as a “sensitive subject matter.”
On Thursday, March 30, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Feng was detained due to “national security” matters but did not elaborate.
Since 2012, the Chinese government has tightened its grip on civil society, citing national security and stability as main motivations. As a result, hundreds of human rights lawyers and government critics have been detained or questioned, according to the Straits Times.
Feng arrived in China a month ago. He was first detained for questioning in Kunming, Yunnan Province. Finally, on March 31, Feng was barred from boarding his flight to Guangzhou. The day after, Feng was told by state security officers that he has been given leave to depart for Australia.
“In terms of rule of law and human rights, it’s getting worse and worse. It’s clear their control of Chinese citizens has become harder and harder,” Feng told Reuters.
