In Conversation with Cheng Lei, Australian-Chinese journalist

In Conversation with Cheng Lei, Australian-Chinese journalist about her experiences of being in Chinese police custody for 3 years in 2020. Australian-Chinese journalist and news presenter Cheng Lei talks to Tibet TV’s Tenzin Chemey about the information reporting styles and workings of China’s State media CCTV/CGTN and her experiences of being held in RSDL- Residential Surveillance at a Designated Location. Cheng Lei is an Australian-Chinese journalist and news presenter. Her career spans decades in both business and international reporting. In 2002, she joined China’s CCTV. She also worked at CNBC’s China correspondent in Shanghai and Singapore before returning to Beijing to work at CCTV. Lei was detained in Beijing on national security allegations in 2020 and remained in custody for over three years. Her release in October 2023 was secured through sustained diplomatic efforts by the Australian government. Lei was awarded the Press Freedom Award by the Australian Press Council in 2024. She was named Australian of the Year by The Australian in 2023. Sshe published her debut memoir, A Memoir on Freedom in 2025. She is a featured speaker at the 2026 Forbes 30/50 Summit