Beijing’s top intelligence agency has accused Australia’s intelligence services of fabricating a “Chinese espionage threat.” This statement follows the arrest of a Chinese national on charges related to foreign interference. In a release on its official WeChat account, China’s Ministry of State Security criticized Australian agencies, suggesting they are conducting their own operations against China while painting themselves as victims.
In his speech on July 31, 2023, during the Hawke Oration in Adelaide, ASIO director-general Mike Burgess warned about a surge in state-sponsored espionage, highlighting China, Russia, and Iran as primary sources. Burgess emphasized that espionage activities against Australia have reached unprecedented levels in both scale and sophistication. This commentary has become a focal point for the Chinese agency’s rebuttal.
The Ministry of State Security claimed that Burgess’s remarks reflect Australia’s growing anxiety about its security situation. The Chinese agency labeled ASIO and its counterparts as “irrational and unprofessional.” It stated, “Australian intelligence agencies advocated the ‘serious threat’ posed by foreign espionage activities to Australia, and even packaged themselves as innocent ‘victims’ in groundless accusations of ‘Chinese espionage threat.’”
In its statement, the Ministry underscored that China has successfully addressed numerous espionage cases instigated by Australian intelligence agencies, asserting that these actions protect China’s sovereignty and national interests.
The Chinese ministry’s remarks come at a delicate time for Australia-China relations. The statement did not specifically address the recent arrest of a Chinese woman in Canberra, who faces charges of reckless foreign interference. This individual is alleged to have spied on the Canberra branch of the Guan Yin Citta, a Buddhist association, on behalf of China’s Public Security Bureau. This case marks the third instance of an individual charged under Australia’s foreign interference laws, which were introduced in 2018 and have since drawn condemnation from China.
Previous charges related to foreign interference include those against a Victorian man in 2020 and a New South Wales man in 2023. Both cases involved allegations of interference linked to Chinese interests in Australia.
Australia has joined its international allies in publicly denouncing China’s espionage efforts. In 2023, Burgess, along with leaders from the Five Eyes intelligence alliance—comprising the US, UK, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia—criticized China for orchestrating what they described as the most sophisticated program of intellectual property theft in history. This marked a significant shift from ASIO’s previous practice of avoiding explicitly naming countries when discussing espionage threats.
Officials, including Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke and Foreign Minister Penny Wong, have been approached for comment regarding the ongoing tensions. The situation reflects a broader narrative of increasing scrutiny and suspicion between Australia and China, highlighting the complexities of international relations in an era marked by heightened security concerns and geopolitical rivalry.
