An academic from the University of Technology Sydney has been prevented from leaving China, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has confirmed.
Chongyi Feng, an associate professor in China studies, was stopped for the second time in two days on Saturday when trying to board a flight to Australia, the ABC reported.
The professor has spoken publicly about the Chinese government's influence in Australia, and in January he told Associated Press that China's ruling Communist Party was "shutting down speech".
In a 2016 article for The Conversation, he also questioned the promotion of a Mao tribute concert in Sydney, writing that for many Australians the communist leader was a symbol of dictatorship, violence and political persecution.
A DFAT spokesperson said the department was aware the professor who is an Australian permanent resident, had been prevented from leaving the country.
"According to the Australia-China consular treaty, the Australian government is able to provide consular assistance only to Australian citizens who have entered China on their Australian passport," the spokesperson said in a statement.
The university had no comment.
Federal Justice Minister Michael Keenan said the Australian government had been in contact with his family and the Chinese government.
"We will continue to obviously monitor the situation and remain in contact with Chinese authorities about it," Mr Keenan told reporters in Perth.