Sources say a veteran Chinse journalist has reportedly been indicted on spying charges. Dong Yuyu had been detained in February last year after meeting with an official at the Japanese Embassy in Beijing.

Sources say Dong, a 61-year-old former senior writer and editor at the Guangming Daily, a Communist Party-affiliated newspaper, was taken into custody immediately after meeting with the Japanese Embassy official.

The Japanese government lodged a protest against the Chinese government, as the official who met Dong was also temporarily detained.

Dong was then arrested by security authorities in Beijing, and indicted last month on charges of espionage.

The National Press Club, a professional organization for journalists based in Washington, issued a statement on Monday urging the Chinese government to release him. It said, "No evidence has been presented that justifies sending his case to trial."

The organization said Dong was well-known to many Western journalists and diplomats and was a contributor to the New York Times.

Meanwhile, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson was asked to comment on the issue at a news conference on Tuesday. The spokesperson said the ministry is unaware of the specific circumstances of the case.