Former Chinese spy exposes PRC's covert operations

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Federal politicians are demanding to see agreements between the Australian Federal Police and China's security agencies, following revelations last night on Four Corners, that Chinese Police escorted an Australian resident back to China.

Transcript

00:00 One of the most troubling cases really is this woman, which the Australian Federal Police

00:06 has allowed the Chinese police officer to come and talk to her in 2019.

00:11 And then the Chinese officer then went on to take her back to China without the knowledge

00:16 or permission of any Australian authority.

00:19 And that's just one of the 16 successful repatriation from Australia to China.

00:25 And Nora Ha from International NGO Safeguard Defender says that we have a sovereignty issue

00:31 here.

00:33 For the PRC to launch these illegal operations undeclared to the Australian government, to

00:40 the Australian authorities, going on people, after people on Australian soil is clearly

00:46 in violation, embraced in violation of the sovereignty of Australia.

00:53 In their revelation also worries Shelter Home Affairs Minister James Patterson.

00:57 Here's what he says.

00:58 I'm very concerned to hear that the Australian Federal Police has apparently facilitated

01:03 an operation of the Ministry of Public Security here in Australia, which has resulted in an

01:08 Australian resident returning to China, probably being coerced by the MPS.

01:13 This could amount to what sounds like an extrajudicial extradition of an Australian resident.

01:20 So this puts the AFP in a difficult position, Echo.

01:23 It certainly does, because on one hand the MPS is China's national policing agent and

01:28 there's a need for the AFP to cooperate with them.

01:31 But on the other hand, they are also part of the powerful intelligent arm of the Chinese

01:36 government.

01:37 So we do think there need to be more cautious and transparency of such cooperations.

01:41 Your report also raises tough questions about national security and also the safety of Chinese

01:46 Australian people here.

01:48 Definitely.

01:49 The fact that the Chinese police officer could come to Australia to conduct such covert operation

01:54 itself is very concerning.

01:56 And the possibility of anyone from the Chinese Australian community being forced and used

02:02 by the Chinese government to infiltrate parliament, infiltrate politics and steal secrets is also

02:08 very concerning.

02:08 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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