In a recent development, Australian-Chinese writer Yang Hengjun (formerly known as Yang Jun) was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve by the Chinese Communist Party in February of this year on charges of espionage. His wife, Yuan Xiaojing, was also restricted from leaving the country by the authorities. However, on April 23rd, news emerged that Yuan Xiaojing had boarded a flight to Australia, thereby having the five-year border control restriction lifted.
This significant update was shared by veteran independent Chinese journalist Gao Yu on X platform on the 23rd. Gao Yu reported that Yuan Xiaojing had taken a flight to Australia on the mentioned date, having reached an agreement with the Chinese state security to have the five-year border control restriction lifted.
According to Gao Yu, before her departure, Yuan Xiaojing had requested to meet with Yang Hengjun at the prison management bureau of the Public Security Bureau but was denied permission. The prison authorities relayed a message from Yang to her, advising her to “stay safe, take care of herself, and not get involved with He Pin, as well as activists.”
The post also mentioned that in the second year after Yang’s arrest, Yuan had filed for divorce in court. However, when the court notified her of an online trial, she immediately withdrew the lawsuit. Her intention behind seeking a divorce was solely to meet with Yang. Yuan’s own daughter has left Australia and is now studying in France.
Yuan Xiaojing is Yang Hengjun’s second wife and was previously a well-known pro-Communist internet celebrity under the alias “Ran Xiang,” often criticized as a “50-cent party member.” When Yang Hengjun was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve by the Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court on February 5th this year, Gao Yu disclosed on the X social media platform that after attending the sentencing, Yuan Xiaojing refused to read the verdict, burst into tears in front of her friends, and exclaimed, “How can the Communist Party be so cruel!” To which her friends responded, “You’re just realizing this now!”
Back in January 2019, Yang Hengjun, along with his wife Yuan Xiaojing and their child, traveled to Guangzhou, where they were arrested at the airport. Yang Hengjun was formally charged with “espionage” on October 7, 2020.
Following Yang Hengjun’s arrest, Yuan Xiaojing had previously given interviews to the media, lamenting that authorities did not allow family members and lawyers to meet him, and expressing that she herself was in a “very distraught state.” She was also confined by the Chinese authorities in Shanghai and prohibited from leaving the country.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported that in July 2019, Yuan Xiaojing had attempted to leave China but was intercepted by Chinese customs officials.