Chinese Spies in Australia? Chinese Officials seek Asylum?

[Clio]

Can any of our Aussie friends comment on this? It came from a secular forum I visit, without any links... Can you share any info being "on the scene" so to speak?

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the big story today in Australia is of the 2nd chinese diplomat seeking assylum .Overshadowing the revelation by the first , that there are 1000 chinese spies in Australia. If there is such a thing as syncronicity then this would be part of it. Australia just having signed FTA with US is now persuing the same with the peoples republic of china. For what purpose ? The only thing Ausralia has to offer the world is commodities ie minerals, iron ore , coal, wheat and meat, natural gas, bauxite for aluminium, cotton for uniforms etc, wool for uniforms etc, yellow cake --uranium oxide for nuclear plants and electricity for balistics etc.etc. China supplies the known world with 'affordable COM ODD IT TIES. It would be natural for the Chinese in order to secure their future to expend some time and energy into infiltrating Australian business commerce and industry for the benifit of chinese future. As the continent of Australia is a gold mine of minerals and commodies nessesary for the continued expansion of chinese industrial might which is now on the verge of dwarfing anything the British or the North Americans even dreamed of. The Dragon is awake .

Nor does the Bear sleep.

kind regards, gimp.

[aldona]

Clio,

I have posted another story on this in the same forum a couple of days ago.

My understanding of the situation is this:

Yes, it is true that China is one of Australia's largest trading partners and they have a huge demand for our commodities. Our government is getting ready to sign a free trade agreement with China.

Chinese diplomat Chen Yong-Lin has quit his job at the Chinese consulate in Sydney and gone into hiding. Initially he applied for political asylum, at which point the following happened:

- The Ministry for Foreign Affairs immediately notified the Chinese consulate, which contacted Chen on his mobile phone.

- The Ministry also refused Chen's request for a safe meeting place, insisting that they interview him in their office in Sydney (one of the places Chen had claimed there were Chinese spies).

- They then refused Chen's asylum claim verbally, over the phone, without ever interviewing him.

Chen then applied for a protection visa (refugee status). He remains in hiding. The Government (i.e. Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Immigration, and their staff) have done nothing to help and persist in publishing misinformation. Minister for Foreign Affairs (Alexander Downer) even denied that Mr Chen had ever applied for asylum, despite written evidence being produced to the contrary.

Nobody from the intelligence services has interviewed Chen about his claims re: Chinese spy rings in Australia. Madame Fu, the Chinese ambassador to Australia, is trying to convince everybody that Chen would not face any punishment if he returns to China, but nobody (even the most avid pro-Chinese element) is buying this for one minute.

The only political party that has done anything to assist Chen is the Greens, who have provided legal aid and practical help for Chen's family. (Interesting, given that Prime Minister John Howard and Foreign Minister Downer are fond of referring to the Green party as "friends of totalitarian regimes.")

I have been following this very closely because I have a passionate interest in refugee and human rights matters. The more the story unfolds, the more appalled I have been and the more obvious it is that our Government is selling out human rights in order to maintain trade relations with China.

aldona

[aldona]

The second diplomat seeking asylum, Hao Fenjun, is also claiming that there are Chinese spy networks operating in Australia. He also claims to have secret documents to this effect. So far nobody from the government or the intelligence services has shown the slightest interest in seeing or hearing his evidence.

aldona

[Clio]

I can make only one comment:

[Michelle]

My HK Chinese-born Aussie naturalized citizen friend has told me about the kidnappings--I took it with a grain of salt until I saw these reports. I mean, to say there are spy networks--who would be surprised about that? But the kidnappings are what are so worrisome!

M

[aldona]

Here's the latest chapter in this sad saga...

Chinese asylum seekers in detention interrogated by Chinese authorities

aldona