Heated confrontation erupts as Australian journalists try to cover Anthony Albanese's visit to China - forcing him to make an admission
A group of Australian journalists and camera crew were filming near the historic Drum Tower landmark in the heart of the Chinese capital on Tuesday when they were confronted by security guards who demanded they stop filming.
The guards then blocked the contingent, who were travelling with a diplomatic escort, from leaving as they packed up, telling them that they weren't allowed to leave and that the police had been called.
ABC journalist Stephen Dziedzic and SBS World News chief political correspondent Anna Henderson were among those caught up in the chaos.
Henderson had just finished doing a piece to camera when security guards encircled the group and demanded they hand over their camera equipment.
'It's just a really febrile situation here in Beijing,' Henderson said.
'It's really hard to work out what we've done wrong, but the local authorities are clearly quite upset with us.
'We had paperwork giving us permission to film here.'
The group was eventually allowed to leave without further incident, after an Australian official with the Beijing embassy stepped in to intervene.
'When it looked like one of the guards might block one of the camera operators, she intervened immediately, telling them to step back. It was deftly done,' Dziedzic reported for the ABC.
'For a moment, it looked like they might not let us leave - but when the bus pulled up, we got on it and left with no problem.
'It wasn't a dramatic encounter and at no point did we feel physically threatened, but it's a reminder of the current political climate in China.'
Following the altercation Albanese made an admission to reporters.
'China has a different system obviously with the media,' Albanese said.
The Chinese government strictly regulates all forms of media, including news outlets, film, television, and online platforms, ensuring content aligns with the Communist Party's narrative.
Sensitive topics such as human rights abuses, political dissent, Taiwan, Tibet, and the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre are heavily censored or erased altogether.
Online, the 'Great Firewall' blocks access to many foreign websites and social media platforms, while Chinese alternatives are closely monitored and filtered in real time.
Citizens, journalists, and creators often self-censor to avoid repercussions, including arrest.
Albanese is currently in China for a six-day visit, where he had 'constructive' talks with President Xi Jinping in Beijing to restore ties between the two nations.
He later had talks with Premier Li and Chairman Zhao Leji.
Albanese will visit the Great Wall of China on Wednesday before flying out to Chengdu in the southwestern province of Sichuan.
'Australia's committed to a stable relationship with China,' the PM tweeted on Wednesday morning.
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