#chenglei — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #chenglei, aggregated by home.social.
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https://www.sinotheater.com/120253/ 🎬New Drama~🎉Aimee & Neo Foes To Lovers⚔️|Key to the Phoenix Heart 雀骨|iQIYI #2026chinesedrama #2027中国电视剧 #baoshangen #cdrama #ChengLei #ChenZheyuan #ChineseDramaEng #heyu #iqiyi #IQiyiDrama #luoyunxi #Neo #RebornOfTheRightful #renjialun #ShadowPunisher #TianXiwei #WangChuran #Xiaozhan #yangzi #zhanglinghe #zhaolusi #与晋长安 #中国电视剧 #书卷一梦 #任嘉伦 #何与 #佳偶天成 #侯明昊 #刘宇宁 #包上恩 #古装 #古装电视剧 #张凌赫 #爱奇艺 #田曦薇 #窈窈有期 #罗云熙 #逐玉 #陈哲远 #魅影神捕
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The First Jasmine is a rare CDrama with deep character development and emotional storytelling. This is a drama that needs to be savoured, not binged.
#CDrama #TheFirstJasmine #CDramas #BaiLu #ChengLei
https://dramatea88.wordpress.com/2026/07/08/the-first-jasmine-review/
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The First Jasmine is a rare CDrama with deep character development and emotional storytelling. This is a drama that needs to be savoured, not binged.
#CDrama #TheFirstJasmine #CDramas #BaiLu #ChengLei
https://dramatea88.wordpress.com/2026/07/08/the-first-jasmine-review/
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The First Jasmine review
Ye Li, the granddaughter of the venerable Lingshan academy’s headmaster, descends from the mountain. The mountain has been sealed off by the order of the Dowager Empress, and she has only been allowed to leave after almost a decade because she was going to be engaged to the Prince of Ding, Mo Xiuyao.
The prince, however, is disabled from war. He’s bitter, out of favour and certainly not looking forward to beingg wed. In all appearances, Ye Li got the short end of the stick, but she turns her fate around and brings light to his household. However, she has deeper plans than being the best wife to Xiuyao…
The characters
Ye Li (played by Bai Lu): A descendant of the Lishan clan who marries into the fallen household of the Prince of Ding. Beneath her unremarkable surface, she methodically plans revenge against the court officials responsible for harming her clan.
Mo Xiuyao (played by Cheng Lei): The Prince of Ding, a wheelchair-bound man carrying deep family trauma who is pursuing his own path of vengeance.
Mo Jing Li (played by Cai Zheng Jie): The Prince of Li and Ye Li’s childhood sweetheart who operates from the shadows.
The Empress Dowager: An exceptionally capable former top student of the Li Shan Academy who rules the empire with an iron fist.
Ye Ying (played by Yang Shu Yi): Ye Li’s sister and the second female lead of the drama.
Mu Yang Hou: A ruthless marquis from the older generation of court officials and responsible for much of Ye Li and Xiuyao’s suffering.
What I liked
- The “show, don’t tell” approach: I absolutely love that the director and screenwriter relied on emotional restraint. Instead of spoon-feeding us with long, tedious monologues or voice-overs to explain a character’s fears, they trusted the audience’s intelligence. For instance, there is a simple scene where Ye Li runs through the pouring rain toward a carriage; not a word is spoken but it beautifully reveals Ye Li’s raw vulnerability without a single word spoken.
- Complex, layered characters: Zhou Na, who has written dramas I loved such as Feud and A Moment But Forever, is a master at character-driven stories. She builds every character with care, even the side characters, making them deeply memorable. Because she doesn’t overly explain their motivations, it gives us free rein to interpret their actions, which makes discussing the show so much fun!
- Bai Lu’s Standout Performance: For me, this is hands-down the most interesting and unique character Bai Lu has played to date. Here, she completely breaks away from the accusations that she always plays the same types of roles.
- A deeply moving journey: I am so incredibly satisfied with the emotional payoff. The show hooks you with an intriguing mystery and great character growth, and I found myself profoundly moved by the episodes, especially as we got closer to the end.
- I love the slow burn romance between Ye Li and Xiuyao.
- Love is shown as devotion: This may be a tiny bit of spoiler – many modern CDramas have a lot of kissing and skinship scenes. The First Jasmine leans heavily to the conservative side, so much so that I find myself gnashing at the lip for more “action”. However, I also loved that love is shown as acts of devotion and care – feeding your loved one soup, supporting him as he walked.
What I Didn’t Like
- Initial “Mary Sue” vibes: At the very beginning of the drama, I was actually quite confused by the female lead, Ye Li. She appeared so strong, overly capable, and multi-talented that I felt she was edging dangerously close to traditional “Mary Sue” territory. While this heartbreak is beautifully resolved once the truth about her situation is finally revealed to the audience, it was confusing at first. Those who didn’t stay around long would’ve missed a precious emotional payoff.
- Inexplicable behaviour of Xiuran: There was a moment in the drama where Xiuran’s behaviour defied logic. He came off as ungrateful, unnecessarily cruel and self-absorbed. Although he repented pretty quickly, it felt like the writing wobbled quite a bit there as it went against his character.
Additional thoughts
The acting is pretty good here
To date, this is probably Bai Lu’s most complex and interesting character, and likely her best work. While I don’t watch enough of her dramas to say that for certain—and I usually find her performances just okay—this one has really levelled up.
Bai Lu and Cheng Lei both do their own voiceover dubbing here, which is great because it adds to the emotional resonance of the drama. Bai Lu has significantly improved her emotional delivery; she used to sound quite robotic in previous attempts, such as Story of Kunning Palace, but she is so much better here.
A meditative drama that should be savoured
This is not the kind of drama you should watch live. It requires a lot of patience, and if you watch it as it airs, you will probably think the pacing is extremely slow. However, I feel this is one of a dying breed of dramas where time is taken to explore characters at a steady, leisurely pace. This enables us to appreciate the turn of events when revelations arrive toward the end.
At first, this may seem like a typical revenge flick, and you may think you know where the story is going, but the most worthwhile part is the journey of character development from the first episode to the last, especially Ye Li’s.
Ye Li may feel odd or “off” at first, and you’d probably think that her character being distant is Bai Lu being wooden or she’s written to be perfect like a Mary Sue. But as revelations come, you will totally understand. When you look back at those early scenes, you realise exactly why Ye Li was behaving that way.
Prince Li’s story is … underdeveloped
Beware of slight spoilers
The drama was written by the screenwriter Zhou Na, and even the side characters get fascinating development. However, I have to complain that Prince Li got the short end of the stick:Theoretically, I understand his motivation as the rightful ruler who wants to take back the throne, but the drama did not develop him as well as it should have.
He could have been a deeply sympathetic character, but his obsession with Ye Li didn’t feel smart. He came off as maudlin.
As a result, you almost think that his motivations are childish and immature; that he just wants things because he feels he has a right to them.
The Empress Dowager is a fascinating character
Beware of slight spoilers
The Empress Dowager is another fascinating character. You understand towards the end why she did what she did. In this world, in Lingshan, she was one of the most capable students. Yet, as a woman, she is confined to the palace harem and subjected to the petty quarrels there. She felt that the only way for her to either survive this environment or elevate herself was through ruthless means.
Throughout the drama, I have always felt that while she is modelled after Wu Zetian, she was never ruthless enough to truly secure her position. Why preserve the lives of Prince Li and Xuyao and still give them positions in court? I feel it is almost her guilty conscience enabling her to do this; I have two theories:
- Subconsciously, she allowed them to be there so that they would eventually take her down.
- A part of her wants to be merciful, while another part feels she must be ruthless to ensure proper governance of the country. She’s constantly conflicted between the two.
She justifies a lot of her actions because of that. Was she wrong? Yet, when you look through the lens of history, you realise that so many other rulers have done what she did. I suppose you can consider her a more human Wu Zetian!
Cheng Lei as Xiuran
Cheng Lei is great as Xiuran, of course. He portrays the prince in a magnetic way, and I enjoyed seeing the development his character got.
The most interesting thing is how he reacted to the revelations around Ye Li. I loved how love is shown in subtle ways here: not outright kisses and soft-hued room shots, but instead through actions such as his character feeding her soup, doing household chores for her, or just holding her hand and playing along. As much as I love hot scenes, I feel that these tender moments conveyed his character’s deep love for her even more.
The ‘scandal’ that distracted viewers
If there is one thing I truly dislike, it’s the outside noise surrounding the show. It breaks my heart that the drama only managed a 6.3 rating on Douban. I strongly believe the score was unfairly dragged down because Bai Lu was caught up in severe public blowback over crazy “diva” rumours right as the show was airing, which is a massive shame considering the acting improvements she has made and how phenomenal the script is.
Final Rating: 4 out of 5
In a sea of “explosive”, fast-paced dramas – long or short – The First Jasmine is a rare drama that tries to take its time unfolding the stories behind the characters.
#4Stars #baiLu #CDrama #CDramas #ChengLei #ChineseDrama #CostumedDrama #TheFirstJasmine #TV -
The First Jasmine review
Ye Li, the granddaughter of the venerable Lingshan academy’s headmaster, descends from the mountain. The mountain has been sealed off by the order of the Dowager Empress, and she has only been allowed to leave after almost a decade because she was going to be engaged to the Prince of Ding, Mo Xiuyao.
The prince, however, is disabled from war. He’s bitter, out of favour and certainly not looking forward to beingg wed. In all appearances, Ye Li got the short end of the stick, but she turns her fate around and brings light to his household. However, she has deeper plans than being the best wife to Xiuyao…
The characters
Ye Li (played by Bai Lu): A descendant of the Lishan clan who marries into the fallen household of the Prince of Ding. Beneath her unremarkable surface, she methodically plans revenge against the court officials responsible for harming her clan.
Mo Xiuyao (played by Cheng Lei): The Prince of Ding, a wheelchair-bound man carrying deep family trauma who is pursuing his own path of vengeance.
Mo Jing Li (played by Cai Zheng Jie): The Prince of Li and Ye Li’s childhood sweetheart who operates from the shadows.
The Empress Dowager: An exceptionally capable former top student of the Li Shan Academy who rules the empire with an iron fist.
Ye Ying (played by Yang Shu Yi): Ye Li’s sister and the second female lead of the drama.
Mu Yang Hou: A ruthless marquis from the older generation of court officials and responsible for much of Ye Li and Xiuyao’s suffering.
What I liked
- The “show, don’t tell” approach: I absolutely love that the director and screenwriter relied on emotional restraint. Instead of spoon-feeding us with long, tedious monologues or voice-overs to explain a character’s fears, they trusted the audience’s intelligence. For instance, there is a simple scene where Ye Li runs through the pouring rain toward a carriage; not a word is spoken but it beautifully reveals Ye Li’s raw vulnerability without a single word spoken.
- Complex, layered characters: Zhou Na, who has written dramas I loved such as Feud and A Moment But Forever, is a master at character-driven stories. She builds every character with care, even the side characters, making them deeply memorable. Because she doesn’t overly explain their motivations, it gives us free rein to interpret their actions, which makes discussing the show so much fun!
- Bai Lu’s Standout Performance: For me, this is hands-down the most interesting and unique character Bai Lu has played to date. Here, she completely breaks away from the accusations that she always plays the same types of roles.
- A deeply moving journey: I am so incredibly satisfied with the emotional payoff. The show hooks you with an intriguing mystery and great character growth, and I found myself profoundly moved by the episodes, especially as we got closer to the end.
- I love the slow burn romance between Ye Li and Xiuyao.
- Love is shown as devotion: This may be a tiny bit of spoiler – many modern CDramas have a lot of kissing and skinship scenes. The First Jasmine leans heavily to the conservative side, so much so that I find myself gnashing at the lip for more “action”. However, I also loved that love is shown as acts of devotion and care – feeding your loved one soup, supporting him as he walked.
What I Didn’t Like
- Initial “Mary Sue” vibes: At the very beginning of the drama, I was actually quite confused by the female lead, Ye Li. She appeared so strong, overly capable, and multi-talented that I felt she was edging dangerously close to traditional “Mary Sue” territory. While this heartbreak is beautifully resolved once the truth about her situation is finally revealed to the audience, it was confusing at first. Those who didn’t stay around long would’ve missed a precious emotional payoff.
- Inexplicable behaviour of Xiuran: There was a moment in the drama where Xiuran’s behaviour defied logic. He came off as ungrateful, unnecessarily cruel and self-absorbed. Although he repented pretty quickly, it felt like the writing wobbled quite a bit there as it went against his character.
Additional thoughts
The acting is pretty good here
To date, this is probably Bai Lu’s most complex and interesting character, and likely her best work. While I don’t watch enough of her dramas to say that for certain—and I usually find her performances just okay—this one has really levelled up.
Bai Lu and Cheng Lei both do their own voiceover dubbing here, which is great because it adds to the emotional resonance of the drama. Bai Lu has significantly improved her emotional delivery; she used to sound quite robotic in previous attempts, such as Story of Kunning Palace, but she is so much better here.
A meditative drama that should be savoured
This is not the kind of drama you should watch live. It requires a lot of patience, and if you watch it as it airs, you will probably think the pacing is extremely slow. However, I feel this is one of a dying breed of dramas where time is taken to explore characters at a steady, leisurely pace. This enables us to appreciate the turn of events when revelations arrive toward the end.
At first, this may seem like a typical revenge flick, and you may think you know where the story is going, but the most worthwhile part is the journey of character development from the first episode to the last, especially Ye Li’s.
Ye Li may feel odd or “off” at first, and you’d probably think that her character being distant is Bai Lu being wooden or she’s written to be perfect like a Mary Sue. But as revelations come, you will totally understand. When you look back at those early scenes, you realise exactly why Ye Li was behaving that way.
Prince Li’s story is … underdeveloped
Beware of slight spoilers
The drama was written by the screenwriter Zhou Na, and even the side characters get fascinating development. However, I have to complain that Prince Li got the short end of the stick:Theoretically, I understand his motivation as the rightful ruler who wants to take back the throne, but the drama did not develop him as well as it should have.
He could have been a deeply sympathetic character, but his obsession with Ye Li didn’t feel smart. He came off as maudlin.
As a result, you almost think that his motivations are childish and immature; that he just wants things because he feels he has a right to them.
The Empress Dowager is a fascinating character
Beware of slight spoilers
The Empress Dowager is another fascinating character. You understand towards the end why she did what she did. In this world, in Lingshan, she was one of the most capable students. Yet, as a woman, she is confined to the palace harem and subjected to the petty quarrels there. She felt that the only way for her to either survive this environment or elevate herself was through ruthless means.
Throughout the drama, I have always felt that while she is modelled after Wu Zetian, she was never ruthless enough to truly secure her position. Why preserve the lives of Prince Li and Xuyao and still give them positions in court? I feel it is almost her guilty conscience enabling her to do this; I have two theories:
- Subconsciously, she allowed them to be there so that they would eventually take her down.
- A part of her wants to be merciful, while another part feels she must be ruthless to ensure proper governance of the country. She’s constantly conflicted between the two.
She justifies a lot of her actions because of that. Was she wrong? Yet, when you look through the lens of history, you realise that so many other rulers have done what she did. I suppose you can consider her a more human Wu Zetian!
Cheng Lei as Xiuran
Cheng Lei is great as Xiuran, of course. He portrays the prince in a magnetic way, and I enjoyed seeing the development his character got.
The most interesting thing is how he reacted to the revelations around Ye Li. I loved how love is shown in subtle ways here: not outright kisses and soft-hued room shots, but instead through actions such as his character feeding her soup, doing household chores for her, or just holding her hand and playing along. As much as I love hot scenes, I feel that these tender moments conveyed his character’s deep love for her even more.
The ‘scandal’ that distracted viewers
If there is one thing I truly dislike, it’s the outside noise surrounding the show. It breaks my heart that the drama only managed a 6.3 rating on Douban. I strongly believe the score was unfairly dragged down because Bai Lu was caught up in severe public blowback over crazy “diva” rumours right as the show was airing, which is a massive shame considering the acting improvements she has made and how phenomenal the script is.
Final Rating: 4 out of 5
In a sea of “explosive”, fast-paced dramas – long or short – The First Jasmine is a rare drama that tries to take its time unfolding the stories behind the characters.
#4Stars #baiLu #CDrama #CDramas #ChengLei #ChineseDrama #CostumedDrama #TheFirstJasmine #TV -
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It's been a tough few months for me personally, and CDrama watching has moved at a snail pace. But the fortunate thing is that I am now on long leave which means: Lots of CDramas to catch up on! I share my thoughts on the CDramas I've seen and what I think about June and July's dramas.
#CDrama #CDramas #BaiLu #ChengLei #TheFirstJasmine #ZhanZhaoAdventures
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It's been a tough few months for me personally, and CDrama watching has moved at a snail pace. But the fortunate thing is that I am now on long leave which means: Lots of CDramas to catch up on! I share my thoughts on the CDramas I've seen and what I think about June and July's dramas.
#CDrama #CDramas #BaiLu #ChengLei #TheFirstJasmine #ZhanZhaoAdventures
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I tentatively think that The First Jasmine / Mo Li / 莫离 could be another crowd puller. Apparently the director is pretty good, so I have hopes. I know AveX doesn't like Bai Lu, so she often turns her nose up at every drama she appears in, and to be honest, I don't see what she sees, though I don't understand Bai Lu's wild popularity either. I am actually partial to Cheng Lei too, or maybe I just have a soft heart for actors who rose from nothing to something, and he has had quite a meteoric rise I've seen in the last few years. (Though admittedly not as crazy as Wang Yi Bo's and Xiao Zhan's. Both of whom, till this day, I do not understand why they've been propelled to such stratospheric heights. In terms of acting I feel that they're pretty average.)
Anyway, long story short - I'm pretty sure this is gonna be quite a fun one to watch and if the director has good control over the idol managers/stakeholders, it could turn out well.
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I tentatively think that The First Jasmine / Mo Li / 莫离 could be another crowd puller. Apparently the director is pretty good, so I have hopes. I know AveX doesn't like Bai Lu, so she often turns her nose up at every drama she appears in, and to be honest, I don't see what she sees, though I don't understand Bai Lu's wild popularity either. I am actually partial to Cheng Lei too, or maybe I just have a soft heart for actors who rose from nothing to something, and he has had quite a meteoric rise I've seen in the last few years. (Though admittedly not as crazy as Wang Yi Bo's and Xiao Zhan's. Both of whom, till this day, I do not understand why they've been propelled to such stratospheric heights. In terms of acting I feel that they're pretty average.)
Anyway, long story short - I'm pretty sure this is gonna be quite a fun one to watch and if the director has good control over the idol managers/stakeholders, it could turn out well.
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From Beijing Cell to Melbourne Stage: The Aftermath of Detention
How did journalist Cheng Lei spend 3 years in a Beijing prison? Learn about her new life in Melbourne and her work sharing her story through plays and comedy.
#chenglei, #melbournenews, #journalism, #humanrights, #chinadetention
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From Beijing Cell to Melbourne Stage: The Aftermath of Detention
How did journalist Cheng Lei spend 3 years in a Beijing prison? Learn about her new life in Melbourne and her work sharing her story through plays and comedy.
#chenglei, #melbournenews, #journalism, #humanrights, #chinadetention
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Former journalist Cheng Lei spent 1,095 days in a Beijing prison. She is now using comedy and theatre to tell her story in Melbourne, which is a major change from her time in isolation.
#chenglei, #melbournenews, #journalism, #humanrights, #chinadetention
https://newsletter.tf/cheng-lei-detention-story-melbourne/ -
Former journalist Cheng Lei spent 1,095 days in a Beijing prison. She is now using comedy and theatre to tell her story in Melbourne, which is a major change from her time in isolation.
#chenglei, #melbournenews, #journalism, #humanrights, #chinadetention
https://newsletter.tf/cheng-lei-detention-story-melbourne/ -
A prince is turned into a "shadow puppet" who will bond with the first person who gives him blood. That turns out to be the female general from an enemy kingdom.
Sometimes, a drama can be bad, yet highly enjoyable at the same time. Shadow Love is such a drama; it's not a great drama, but it's a fun thirst trap carried by Cheng Lei's shirtless scenes.
#ShadowLove #CDrama #CDramas #ChengLei
https://dramatea88.wordpress.com/2025/10/21/shadow-love-cdrama-review/
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A prince is turned into a "shadow puppet" who will bond with the first person who gives him blood. That turns out to be the female general from an enemy kingdom.
Sometimes, a drama can be bad, yet highly enjoyable at the same time. Shadow Love is such a drama; it's not a great drama, but it's a fun thirst trap carried by Cheng Lei's shirtless scenes.
#ShadowLove #CDrama #CDramas #ChengLei
https://dramatea88.wordpress.com/2025/10/21/shadow-love-cdrama-review/
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Hehehe I can understand why the sub's nickname for him is Daddy Aodeng 😆
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Hehehe I can understand why the sub's nickname for him is Daddy Aodeng 😆
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@liztai @Sollenbum Just realized that Cheng Lei is the male lead in "A Familiar Stranger" but, of course, also the charismatic second lead in "My Journey to You" 🌸 Odd that I hadn't seen that before, because he is remarkable in both dramas.
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@liztai @Sollenbum Just realized that Cheng Lei is the male lead in "A Familiar Stranger" but, of course, also the charismatic second lead in "My Journey to You" 🌸 Odd that I hadn't seen that before, because he is remarkable in both dramas.
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@Liddokun RT by @badiucao: Hopefully she has learned a valuable life lesson. The iron fist of the CCP can still mercilessly smash her in the face no matter how much she panders to the genocidal regime. #China #ChengLei https://nitter.hongkongers.net/Liddokun/status/1728977093961335102#m
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The next time the #NationalPressClubAustralia think about inviting the chinaman ambassador to speak, let's not.
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The next time the #NationalPressClubAustralia think about inviting the chinaman ambassador to speak, let's not.
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Cheng Lei wraca do domu
Cheng była prezenterką telewizji biznesowej, kiedy została zatrzymana w sierpniu 2020 roku za rzekome dzielenie się tajemnicami państwowymi z innym państwem. Wielokrotnie wskazywała, że jej „zniknięcie” nastąpiło w momencie, gdy Chiny rozszerzyły blokady australijskiego eksportu w ramach sporu dyplomatycznego.
https://wp.me/p3fv0T-fCu #Chiny #ChRL #AnthonyAlbanese #ChengLei #Australia #zakładniczka #dziennikarka
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Free #ChengLei Cheng Lei: journalist detained in China says she longs for sunlight, outdoors and family in ‘love letter’ to Australia | Australian foreign policy | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/10/cheng-lei-journalist-detained-in-china-says-she-longs-for-sunlight-outdoors-and-family-in-love-letter-to-australia https://nitter.hongkongers.net/benedictrogers/status/1689636997911252992#m
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Free #ChengLei Cheng Lei: journalist detained in China says she longs for sunlight, outdoors and family in ‘love letter’ to Australia | Australian foreign policy | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/10/cheng-lei-journalist-detained-in-china-says-she-longs-for-sunlight-outdoors-and-family-in-love-letter-to-australia https://nitter.hongkongers.net/benedictrogers/status/1689636997911252992#m
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@williamnee RT by @StephenMcDonell: "Her [#ChengLei's] first six months were spent in solitary confinement, being placed in stress positions and, though being interrogated, with no access to a lawyer. Since then, she has been held with other prisoners." https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-65530105 @StephenMcDonell https://nitter.hongkongers.net/williamnee/status/1656424077186449408#m
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@williamnee RT by @StephenMcDonell: "Her [#ChengLei's] first six months were spent in solitary confinement, being placed in stress positions and, though being interrogated, with no access to a lawyer. Since then, she has been held with other prisoners." https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-65530105 @StephenMcDonell https://nitter.hongkongers.net/williamnee/status/1656424077186449408#m
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"Australian writer Yang Hengjun and journalist Cheng Lei have had their sentencing dates extended by another three months after several delays following their closed-door hearings on national security charges."
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R to @WilliamYang120: On how the trip might affect the fate of #ChengLei and #YangHengjun: "I think a diplomatic breakthrough in these cases are likely and I think it will be done quietly and diplomatically. https://nitter.hongkongers.net/WilliamYang120/status/1605036402596409344#m
