Bill Birtles is sitting in his Sydney apartment.
A bare white wall can be seen behind him during the video call.
The former Beijing correspondent does not seem to have quite returned to his old homeland.
His departure from China, where he worked for the Australian broadcaster ABC for five years, was too hasty.
In September, Birtles had to leave Beijing in a hurry. The Australian government issued a warning to him at the time. The Sino-Australian presenter Cheng Lei had been arrested shortly before. She is still in prison today. Birtles packed his bags, but invited his friends to a farewell party. At midnight there was a sudden knock on the door, he thought it was too loud.