An Australian writer and influential political commentator on the Chinese language internet has disappeared on a trip to China. 

Yang Hengjun used to work for the Chinese Foreign Ministry before he moved to Sydney to become a spy novelist, intellectual and blogger. He has not been seen since phoning a colleague from Guangzhou airport claiming that he was being followed by three men.

Aussie PM Julia Gillard is probably going to ask Beijing where the Aussie citizen is next month for her first visit to China as prime minister. Yang was carrying a an Australian passport.

However China is sending a message to expat dissidents that if you are going to write nasty things about the country on the world wide wibble it is probably not a good idea to pop back to China on a quick visit.