Govt confirms Australian held on spying charges

Yang Jun, an Australian, was arrested on suspicion of committing espionage, the Foreign Ministry confirmed Tuesday.

Yang, a Chinese-born Australian, was arrested on Friday by the Beijing State Security Bureau after the approval of prosecutors, ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a daily news conference.

The state security authority was handling the case in accordance with the law, Geng said.

Reuters quoted Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne as claiming that Yang was being held in Beijing in harsh conditions.

Yang's rights are fully guaranteed, and he is in good health, the spokesman said.

China is strongly dissatisfied with the statement made by Australia, he said, stressing that China is a country under the rule of law, and Australia should respect China's judicial sovereignty and stop interfering in the lawful handling of the case.