He worked in China from 2015 to 2020, eventually leaving after the Australian embassy advised him to do so, after the detainment of Cheng Lei.
[1] Birtles was educated at Canberra Grammar School, leaving in 2002, and subsequently studied at the University of New South Wales.
When he was 24, he started learning Mandarin, and moved to Beijing, working in a television newsroom there.
[2][3] Significant stories that Birtles has covered include the rise of Xi Jinping, the China–United States trade war, 2019-20 Hong Kong protests, early parts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the relationship between Australia and China.
After a few days, Birtles was allowed to leave China after having an interview with Chinese authorities about Cheng Lei.