China's Ambassador to Australia suggests Yang Hengjun's suspended death sentence for espionage may not be executed if he commits no further crimes.

China's Ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, said the suspended death sentence of Australian writer Yang Hengjun, who was sentenced for espionage, may not be carried out if he commits no further crimes. This is the first time a Chinese official has mentioned the possibility of Yang not being executed. A suspended death sentence in China allows a two-year reprieve before being converted to life imprisonment.