China’s ambassador to Australia declined an invitation to view a video that has sparked a disagreement between the embassy and domestic spy agency ASIO, days before the event at which it was played.
Ambassador Xiao Qian used an opinion piece sent to Nine Newspapers to complain the video, played ahead of a speech delivered by ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess, ‘cast aspersions’ about Chinese foreign interference in Australia.
The short video was played ahead of Mr Burgess’s annual threat assessment, and was a compilation of TV news clips either mentioning ASIO, or covering security events relevant to ASIO.
The ABC understands Ambassador Xiao was told of the brief mentions of China in the video several days ahead of the event, and was invited to view the video, but did not take up the offer.
He attended the event in person, alongside other diplomats, defence and national security figures and journalists, and sat in the second row during the event.
While media crews were allowed to film the speech and a subsequent question-and-answer session, the video was not allowed to be filmed, and requests for its release have been declined.
Mike Burgess delivered his annual threat assessment last week. (ABC News: Che Chorley)
The video was largely focused on antisemitism and the Bondi terror attack, while also covering issues like the return of ‘ISIS brides’ to Australia.
But it also touched on issues of Chinese foreign interference — like the arrest of two Chinese nationals in Canberra accused of spying on the Canberra Buddhist association.
Those mentions drew the ire of Ambassador Xiao, who appeared to take particular issue with the mention of matters before the courts.
“Whilst relevant cases are still pending and facts have yet to be established, what harm will the broadcasting of such an official video cause to the individuals concerned?” he said in the opinion piece.
“What message will this one-sided information convey to the Australian public? And what impact will it have on China-Australia relations?
“China itself has long suffered from foreign interference and has no intention of, nor has it ever engaged in, so-called interference in Australia.”
ASIO has pushed back strongly on the criticism, with a spokeswoman pointing to other examples of interference proved in court.
“Noting the ambassador advocates the application of the rule of law, we point you to: the conviction of a Melbourne man for attempting to interfere in Australia’s political system to advance the interests of the Chinese Communist Party,” she said.
“(and) the conviction of a Sydney man who gave Chinese spies information on Australia’s economic, defence and political priorities.”
Ambassador hits out at Five Eyes warning
Mr Xiao also used the opinion piece to make broad swipes at those he argued were pushing an outdated mentality in talking up Australia-China tensions.
“Viewing China-Australia relations through the lens of a Cold War mentality and using national security as a pretext to portray China as a hypothetical enemy is targeting the wrong party, harming the friendship, and running counter to the interests of the Australian nation and its people,” he wrote.
Early last month, ASIO and its Five Eyes partner agencies warned that Chinese spies were using professional networking sites such as LinkedIn to identify potential targets.
“Chinese military intelligence services ultimately seek to acquire privileged military, political and economic intelligence that can provide China with a strategic and tactical advantage over the Five Eyes,” it warned.
Beijing has repeatedly rejected similar claims in the past, and the statement drew sharp commentary from the ambassador, who argued the case against China on those grounds was thin.
“The Five Eyes alliance — touted as the world’s most formidable alliance — failed to find (or fabricate) any substantive evidence on a serious matter concerning major-power relations and regional peace, instead concocting a sensational charge against another nation out of thin air,” Mr Xiao said.
