Australian Writer Yang Hengjun Given Suspended Death Sentence in China Over Spying Charges, Deepening Tensions with Australia
• Australian writer Yang Hengjun given suspended death sentence by Chinese court after being accused of spying
• Yang is a scholar and novelist who was detained in 2019 after traveling to China and has denied the unspecified charges
• Australian government says it is "appalled" by the verdict and will communicate its response to China in the "strongest terms"
• Yang still has avenues of appeal but his declining health while detained is a concern
• His case has contributed to souring Australia-China relations, and this verdict will likely severely impact bilateral ties further