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Beijing: China has confirmed publicly for the first time that University of Technology Sydney associate professor Chongyi Feng is being investigated on national security grounds.
Professor Feng was twice prevented from boarding planes in Guangzhou to return to his work in Sydney last week, after being placed on a no-fly list by Chinese security agencies. He has been questioned daily by security police since, according to his lawyers.
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Yunsi Feng's, father, Chongyi Feng, a UTS Professor, has been prevented from leaving China and returning home to Sydney.
"In order to safeguard China's national security, the relevant departments took measures in accordance with law against Chinese citizen Feng Chongyi to prevent him from leaving the country," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang was quoted by Reuters as saying at a press briefing in Beijing on Thursday.
"Feng Chongyi is a Chinese citizen... If this was an Australian citizen, and Australian authorities wanted to open an investigation, then (the citizen) would also be obliged to comply."
Professor Feng's lawyers have previously told Fairfax Media the police had told Professor Feng he was under suspicion of threatening state security, but they had provided no documents.
The lawyers lodged an application on Wednesday seeking reasons from the Tianjin National Security Bureau under Chinese laws requiring government transparency.
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It was the Tianjin bureau that placed Professor Feng on the no-fly list. He remains free to travel within China.
Professor Feng is believed to have been conducting research on the situation of human rights lawyers in Kunming, in south west China, before his travel ban.
Professor Feng tried twice to leave China and return to Australia last week. Photo: Supplied
His daughter Yunsi, an Australian citizen, pleaded publicly on Wednesday for the Australian government to do what it could for her father, who had worked in Australian universities for 20 years.
"Right now we are trying to stay positive," she told Fairfax Media. "We can maintain family communications at least. But there's always the worry that this becomes drawn out."
Professor Feng at the Guangzhou Airport on Saturday afternoon with his lawyers Chen Jingxue (at left) and Liu Hao (at right).
"I hope that people see this is a family man, this is someone that has engaged with the Australian community for two decades, this is someone who has contributed to lot to Australia, especially its understanding of China."