“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 said in the Chinese capital on the first day of an official visit.

“My understanding is it’s in Beijing.”

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Yang, a spy novelist and online commentator, flew into Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in southern China from New York on Saturday, and was planning to take another flight to Shanghai. His friends said they lost contact with him after his arrival in Guangzhou.

Australia has urged China to deal “transparently and fairly” with Yang’s case.

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said on Thursday morning that Chinese authorities informed the Australian embassy in Beijing on Wednesday night that they had detained Yang.

“We will continue to make representations to China to ensure that this matter is dealt with transparently and fairly,” the department said.

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Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said staff from Australia’s embassy met Chinese officials on Thursday to seek answers.

While details were limited, she said there was no evidence that it was linked to Australia’s criticism of Beijing’s detention of two Canadians.

“At this stage there is no evidence of such a connection … but I’d be concerned if there was an indication of that,” Payne said in Sydney.

The detention of Yang, who has been critical of China, is expected to have a further chilling effect on China’s relations with Western countries.

Euan Graham, executive director of La Trobe Asia, said Yang’s detention may be linked to the arrest of Huawei chief financial officer Sabrina Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver last month, as Australia had expressed its support for Canada’s actions.

“What we can be certain of is that he is an Australian citizen and entitled to be treated accordingly,” Graham said. “It is obviously of great concern that in the context of other foreign nationals being arbitrarily detained, this is another for that list.

“If we get into a situation where [citizens of] Five Eyes partner countries are arbitrarily held in China then we are in a very difficult period of relations,” he said, referring to the intelligence alliance formed by the US, Britain, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

“If there is a link … it suggests Canada is not being tested in isolation.”

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Graham said that Five Eyes countries had been working together to restrict Huawei’s access to hi-tech collaboration projects.

“I think Canada is being used as a guinea pig,” he said. “If China’s pressure tactics bear fruit, then it is more likely they will be applied to other countries, like Australia.”

Before becoming an Australian citizen in 2000 Yang was a Chinese diplomat. His detention came six weeks after the arrest of two Canadians – businessman Michael Spavor and former diplomat Michael Kovrig – in what was widely seen as retaliation for Meng’s arrest, which was at the request of the United States, which has accused her of violating its sanctions against Iran.

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PEN America, a New York-based organisation that supports free expression, called for Yang’s immediate release, saying he had been detained for criticising China.

“It’s obvious that Yang would not have been seized if it weren’t for his previous critical writings,” said Summer Lopez, the senior director of the group’s free expression programmes.

“Yang’s seizure is yet another indicator that the Chinese government’s repression of free expression extends not only to its own citizens but also to citizens of other countries.”

Additional reporting by Reuters