Australia yesterday launched a high-level intelligence task force to combat what officials say is rampant foreign interference in the country and after claims of bold Chinese spying operations Down Under.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Counter Foreign Interference Taskforce would involve all the country’s top intelligence agencies “to disrupt and deter anyone attempting to undermine our national interests.”
The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) is to lead the new force, which will expand the resources of the national counter foreign interference coordinator under the Home Affair Department.
Photo: EPA-EFE
The government plans to spend almost A$88 million (US$59.7 million) on the force.
One novelty of the force would see intelligence agencies, normally tasked with overseas threats, coordinate with federal police to identify and prosecute or expel foreign agents.
“We will be developing new specialist capabilities both from an investigatory capacity as well as being able to pursue investigations and bring them to either disrupt activity or, indeed, follow through and prosecute,” Morrison said during a news conference in Canberra. “This task force to counter foreign interference is about identifying it, disrupting and prosecuting.”
Morrison did not explicitly mention China, saying “foreign interference comes from many, many different sources” and is “an evolving threat.”
However, yesterday’s announcement followed revelations that authorities were investigating a raft of explosive claims by William Wang Liqiang (王立強), a would-be Chinese defector, about Chinese espionage and covert influence operations in Australia.
It also came after the recently retired head of the ASIO, Duncan Lewis, said China wanted to “take over” Australia’s political system with an “insidious” and systematic campaign of espionage and influence peddling.”
Australian authorities are also looking into a claim that China tried to recruit a Melbourne businessman and get him elected to parliament.
Bo “Nick” Zhao (趙波) — a 32-year-old luxury car dealer who was a member of Morrison’s Liberal Party — apparently rebuffed the offer and was found dead in a motel room in March.
Morrison described the allegations as “deeply disturbing and troubling.”
The Chinese government has branded the claims “lies,” accusing “some politicians, organizations and media in Australia” of “cooking up so-called China spy cases.”
Morrison’s government passed foreign interference legislation last year following revelations that wealthy Chinese businessmen with links to Beijing had been bankrolling local parties and candidates across the political spectrum.
The law notably required the registration of any person or organization acting on behalf of a foreign government.
As part of that crackdown, the government in February barred high-profile Chinese businessman Huang Xiangmo (黃向墨), who held permanent Australian residency, from returning to the country.
It also canceled his permanent residency and rejected his application for citizenship.
China is also widely suspected of being behind major intrusions into the computer systems of Australia’s parliament and a university with close ties to the government and security services.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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