A HONG Kong journalist imprisoned in mainland China on charges of espionage denied Thursday he had worked as a spy for Taiwan.

Speaking for the first time since his unexpected release from jail two weeks ago, Ching Cheong said the charges that he had tried to sell state secrets to Taiwan were unfounded.

"I have stressed in court (that) I never had any intention to work as a spy, that in no time was I in possession of any national secrets, let alone handing them over to Taiwan," Ching said, reading from a prepared statement.

Ching, a Hong Kong-based correspondent for Singapore's the Straits Times newspaper, was sentenced to five years in prison in August 2006 on charges of spying for Taiwan. He was released on parole two weeks ago after serving more than 1000 days.

The 58-year-old is one of the three journalists detained in China to gain early release this month - six months ahead of this summer's Beijing Olympics. China has been making efforts to improve its image ahead of the Games, which it considers as a source of pride.

Ching was detained during a visit to the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou in April 2005 and sentenced in a one-day trial 16 months later. A Chinese court rejected his appeal in November 2006.

He was convicted of selling unspecified "state secrets and intelligence" to a Taiwanese foundation believed to be a front for Taiwanese espionage activities on the mainland, China's official Xinhua News Agency had reported.

China and Taiwan have been rivals since they split in 1949 during a civil war.

Ching acknowledged that he had been paid by Taiwanese think-tanks for writing assignments, but declined to discuss details.

Flanked by his family and friends, Ching bowed several times to over 100 reporters and photographers to thank them for helping with his "rescue." Hong Kong and international journalist groups, governments as well as Ching's friends had kept up a running campaign for their colleague's release, especially after his wife had said he was in ill health.

Ching said he wanted to elaborate more on what had happened in China, but was concerned about violating the terms of his parole, which lasts 2 years and 2 months.

Recalling the darkest days, the veteran journalist said he had contemplated suicide when he was formally charged in August 2005.

"At that time, I was so depressed that I doubted every value I treasure in life ... It seemed that all the virtues and values that I hold dearest were betraying me," Ching said.

"And then a horrible downward spiral set in. When you are psychologically caught in a downward spiral, I think the end result would be committing suicide."

His spirit was lifted after reading several classic Chinese philosophy texts and self-help books his family brought him during monthly prison visits, he said.

Ching said he was "well-treated" in jail compared to the murderers, drug traffickers and corrupt officials who were jailed alongside him.

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