Australia warned over meddling in espionage trial

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Thursday that China firmly rejects any attempt by Australia to intervene in the case of Yang Jun and has lodged stern representations to Australia over interference in China's judicial sovereignty.

The court hearing of an espionage case against Yang was held in Beijing on Thursday, Zhao said. A verdict will be pronounced later.

He said that in accordance with Chinese law, all cases involving state secrets, including Yang's, are heard in private sessions and so the decision to hear the case behind closed doors was completely legal and reasonable.

Yang, an Australian citizen born in China, wrote about Chinese and US politics online as a high-profile blogger and also penned a series of spy novels before his detention two years ago. 

Australia's ambassador to China Graham Fletcher was denied entry to the Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People's Court to attend the hearing on Thursday.