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cover of episode Cheng Lei on her fight for freedom

Cheng Lei on her fight for freedom

2025/6/25
logo of podcast A Podcast of One's Own with Julia Gillard

A Podcast of One's Own with Julia Gillard
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程雷：我认为在自由的环境下，我们可能会浪费拥有的珍贵事物，而在资源匮乏时，我们会更珍惜并充分利用它们。我妈妈是坚定的女权主义者，她认为女孩可以做任何事情，所以我没有受到性别歧视的影响。我一直很擅长适应，我已经搬了25次家，上过很多不同的学校，去过很多不同的国家，我很快就能适应。现在的生活充满了紧迫感，因为如果你不去做，事情就会改变，你永远不会后悔你旅行过的地方，你学到的东西，或者你追求的梦想。物质的东西并不重要。最好的反击方式是去做事情，过上更好的生活，因为没有人会关心我是否痛苦或悲伤，但我可以有所作为，无论是帮助其他被拘留者，还是写一本书告诉人们发生了什么。生活就是爱和美，这是对抗残忍和谎言的方式。

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Chapters
This chapter explores Cheng Lei's childhood in rural China during the 1970s and her family's experiences during a period of significant social and economic change. It then details her move to Melbourne at age 10, highlighting the cultural differences and challenges she faced adapting to a new life in Australia.
  • Cheng Lei's upbringing in rural China during the 1970s
  • Her move to Melbourne at age 10
  • Experiences of cultural shock and challenges of adapting to a new life in Australia
  • Her parents' influence on her career choices

Shownotes Transcript

Cheng Lei was riding high in a successful career as a news anchor in China when her life changed in an instant. 

Lei is a Chinese born Australian citizen and mother of two, who spent more than three years detained in a Beijing prison after being wrongly accused of illegally supplying state secrets. 

In this emotional and candid conversation, Julia and Lei delve into her early life in China and then Melbourne, her exciting journalism career around Asia and the ordeal that changed her and her family’s lives forever. 

Show notes

Cheng Lei’s book A Memoir of Freedom is published by Harper Collins and is available at all good bookstores.

Her documentary Cheng Lei: My Story is available via Sky News.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy) for more information.