<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Australian writer Dr Yang Hengjun has penned an emotional letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the sixth anniversary of his imprisonment in China.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Yang was handed a suspended death sentence last year after spending about five years detained on espionage charges in Beijing.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He has denied the allegation and the Australian government has repeatedly called for his release over the years.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/chimpanzees-observed-performing-first-aid-in-the-wild/7a4ea597-391c-4504-9d0b-cc539394ad6a" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Do chimps perform first aid? These scientists say they know</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In his letter to Albanese, Yang wrote that "tears blur my vision" and that he could "only use a silent voice to thank you" for the continued support and advocacy.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I have written millions of words over my career but I can't find the words to properly express my heartfelt gratitude and feeling," he wrote.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Yang wrote that he was thankful he had not been forgotten in what has been the "hardest and darkest chapter" of his life.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/yang-hengjun-jailed-in-china-pens-emotional-letter-to-anthony-albanese/5d856d46-2282-4da7-ab8e-d904c69e8934" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I feel all of your support beside me as I stagger through the hardest and darkest chapter of my life, allowing me to immerse in the warmth of humanity," he wrote.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"All of this renders with greater clarity than before that Australia is defined not only by its blue sky, beautiful beaches, vast lands and boundless oceans.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It is also defined by strong faith, common values, and a far-reaching vision based on facts and virtue."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/russia-ukraine-war--volodymyr-zelensky-vladimir-putin-due-to-meet-but-who-will-show-up/a5631c2b-f960-4314-840f-124119cc95e2" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Russia and Ukraine are due to meet - but who'll show up?</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Albanese acknowledged the letter, adding that he was continuing to lobby for Yang's release.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It was a message of profound courage and resilience and hope despite his difficult circumstances, and we continue to advocate for Dr Yang's interests and wellbeing at every opportunity, and I have certainly asked our ambassador to convey that very directly to Dr Yang," he told reporters.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she and the prime minister were "deeply moved" by Yang's words.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Dr Yang writes of his great love for his country – and we want to see him home in Australia, reunited with his family," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We continue to advocate for Dr Yang's interests and wellbeing at every opportunity and at the highest levels, including access to appropriate medical care.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Our thoughts remain with Dr Yang and his loved ones."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/man-who-allegedly-raided-outback-pub-has-a-beer-with-owner-toobeah-queensland/153d8b00-7c6b-40da-9ed2-9806f042ad1e" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Man who allegedly raided outback pub has a beer with owner</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Yang was born in China and worked as a government official before migrating to Australia in 1998 and becoming a citizen.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He was a pro-democracy activist and novelist before he was jailed in 2019.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Yang was tried behind closed doors before receiving his death sentence last year.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>His sentence may be reduced to life imprisonment after two years pending good behaviour.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>There are grave concerns over Yang's health after he revealed he was suffering from a large cyst on his kidney.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He claimed he was not receiving adequate treatment and feared he would die in detention. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Despite soothing relations between Australia and China, which saw the release of Australian journalist Cheng Lei and the lifting of trade sanctions, there has not been much movement in Yang's case.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></strong></em></a><em><strong><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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