20/10/2026
Book Review. "The Beijing Bureau" Edited by Trevor Watson and Melissa Roberts (2021)
This book is about Australian news correspondents' experiences in China over the years. There are 25 articles in this book. In five parts the book brings stories from China from 1890's to the immediate past. For example Mike Smith tells of his experiences in China working for the Australian Financial Review to 2020, when he was pressured by the Chinese Government over his reporting, and left at the" insistence of my own government".
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade have made it clear "we (being other Aussie journos) should not return in the medium term". Smith details his interviews in China and how people became far more reticent over time prior to the expulsion of all Australian working media outlets in China circa 2021.
Other articles cover the Uigurs, Hong Kong, as well as events such as Tiananmen, Xi Jing Ping's China, Mao's opening of first Bureau, and the Dengian reform period in snappy little well written vignettes..
A final part takes one through history of Australian coverage of China from Morrison and the Siege of Peking in the Boxer Rebellion circa in1900, to George Johnston's article from 1944 where he being Australia's first accredited war journalist wrote from the perspective of the common man - not so much the great and the good. Johnston of course is renowned as a writer with "My Brother Jack", and subsequent books well known and received. The book is informative and enjoyable. On display at the moment so come on in and check it out.
PS The trilogy of Johnston's books in the series dealing with his life are held in the FMI library. Review by Neil
