Australia says dual national is in 'residential detention' in China

Yang Hengjun, author and former Chinese diplomat, who is now an Australian citizen, display a name tag in an unspecified location in Tibet, China, mid-July, 2014 in this social media image obtained by REUTERS

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian Defence Minister Christopher Pyne said on Thursday a dual-national writer missing since last week is being held by China and is in residential detention in Beijing.

Australia confirmed on Thursday Chinese-Australian Yang Hengjun was detained shortly after he flew in to the southern city of Guangzhou from New York last week.

"We would describe it as home detention but, as Mr Yang doesn't have a home in Beijing, I assume he's being held in a similar kind of situation, as opposed to being held in prison," Pyne told reporters in Beijing.

"My understanding is it's in Beijing," he said.

(Reporting by Colin Packham; Editing by Paul Tait)