Canberra says it had been not told why Australian journalist detained in China

Australia's trade minister Simon Birmingham said Canberra didn't know why Chinese authorities had detained Australian citizen Cheng Lei, as he warned that the risks for Australian businesses engaged with China had changed.

The Australian government confirmed on Monday (Aug 31) evening that Cheng, a high-profile business anchor on Chinese state television, had been detained two weeks ago.

"Cheng Lei can be an Australian, a journalist who has been employed in China for some time period. I've actually met her and been interviewed by her while overseas myself. Personally i think for her family very much at this point with time, and it's why we can do what we can to aid her, as we'd and also have any Australian in these kinds of circumstances," Birmingham told ABC radio.

The Australian embassy was presented with consular usage of Cheng via video link on Aug 27, he said. Cheng has two children, both in Australia.

Australia's former ambassador to China, Geoff Raby, a business consultant, said Cheng was a longtime friend and experienced journalist, who had interviewed him often on her behalf business programme.

Business reporting is not usually viewed as politically sensitive in China, he said, adding that he was astonished she have been detained.

"She held a amount of scepticism towards some Chinese media, but she was equally strong in arguing China's case if foreign reporting mischaracterised China or had not been predicated on facts," Raby told Reuters within an interview.

The Committee to safeguard Journalists said in a statement that Chinese authorities should disclose their known reasons for holding Cheng or release her.

Steven Butler, CPJ's Asia programme coordinator, said, "China - the world's number 1 jailer of journalists - must explain whether her detention has anything regarding her media work."

Tensions between Australia and China have been high this year, after Australia in April needed an international investigation into the way to obtain the coronavirus pandemic.

Beijing has said it had been angered by the move, and has since blocked Australian beef imports, put dumping tariffs on Australian barley, and launched an anti-dumping investigation into Australian wine.

Birmingham told television network Nine that many of the trade measures lacked substance.

"I am very concerned at the amount of different trade issues that contain come our way this season, that I think changes the risk profile for Australian businesses in engaging with China," he said.