Australian Defence Minister Christopher Pyne speaks to the media at the Australian embassy in Beijing, China January 24, 2019. REUTERS/Jason Lee

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian Defence Minister Christopher Pyne said on Thursday a dual-national writer missing since last week is being held by China and is in residential detention in Beijing.

Australia confirmed on Thursday Chinese-Australian Yang Hengjun was detained shortly after he flew in to the southern city of Guangzhou from New York last week.

“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 told reporters in Beijing.

“My understanding is it’s in Beijing,” he said.