Chinese government makes official statement on detained Aussies

Five weeks after being detained by Chinese police, three Crown Resorts executives from Australia are to be prosecuted on gambling related charges, a Chinese government spokesman said at a media briefing Wednesday.

The three visiting executives, along with 15 local employees of Crown are being held in Shanghai after they were picked up mid-October, and last Friday were formally declared “arrested’ (see previous reports.

One Chinese employee, Jenny Jiang was subsequently released on bail.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang confirmed that a prosecution of the three Aussies is intended, although once again the specifics of the charges against them were not revealed.

The Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said consular staff visited all three men on Tuesday.

“They are in good health, they are all represented by lawyers and we were able to provide advice and support and messages from their families,” she said. “It is a very difficult circumstance, but we will continue to provide whatever advice and support that we are able.”

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