"Chinese interference in Australian politics"
![]() ![]() (scandal, Foreign influence operations amidst the COVID-19 crisis) ![]() ![]() | |
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![]() China is accused of infiltrating the Australian Parliament in the year before COVID-19 | |
China is accused of interfering in the 2019 Australian federal election. COVID-19 and AUKUS came soon after. |
In 2019, Australia's spy agency ASIO investigated reports that Chinese intelligence figures tried to plant one of their agents in Federal Parliament.[1]
People involved
- Gladys Liu was elected as a Liberal Party MP for Chisholm, Victoria in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. She narrowly defeated Labor's Taiwanese-born candidate Jennifer Yang and became the first female Chinese-Australian MP. She was accused of having links to the Chinese Communist Party.[2] In the 2022 general election, Liu was defeated by Carina Garland of Labor on a 7% swing, as part of Anthony Albaneses victory.[3]
- Car dealer Bo "Nick" Zhao told ASIO that a suspected Chinese spy and Melbourne businessman, Brian Chen Chunsheng, had offered him $1 million to run for the Australian Parliament. Zhao was found dead weeks before the election, and the coroner ruled out foul play.[4]
- Wang Liqiang claimed political asylum in Australia, claiming to be a spy who was involved in the People's Republic of China's intervention in Hong Kong and Taiwan.[5]
See also
- Chinese interference in Canadian politics, similar accusations emerged the same year in Canada
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References
- ↑ https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-25/asio-says-its-taking-allegations-of-suspicious-death-serious/11733532
- ↑ https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05-21/australia-elects-first-chinese-australian-female-mp-lower-house/11126624
- ↑ https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/labor-picks-senior-union-official-for-key-marginal-seat-20210729-p58e0t
- ↑ https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/death-of-melbourne-based-fraudster-not-suspicious-says-coroner-20200921-p55xmd.html
- ↑ https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/wang-liqiang-beijing-bit-player-at-best-as-cloakanddagger-claims-fall-away/news-story/e4b660a20234908bc0d5fa95e38eac94