Australian Broadcasting Corp reported that Chinese Ambassador to Australia, Ma Zhaoxu, had been unexpectedly summoned to Beijing for consultations. But Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that Ma had not been recalled.
A Chinese embassy spokesman confirmed that Ma had returned to Beijing yesterday, but described the trip as "just a normal duty."
"He has to go back every year many times to report; that is normal," said the spokesman, who declined to give his name. He could not say how long Ma would be away.