China seeking to exploit Australian defence secret plans
Ties between Australia and China are being strained once again, with our military unveiling Chinese spies attempting to get details of the nation’s strategic direction and military build-up.
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They might not want our barley, beef or coal but China are trying to get our military secrets with the biggest detection in decades of Chinese spies attempting to get plans for Australia’s land, air and sea developments.
The revelation comes as both China and the US put on the biggest sabre rattle in the Pacific in decades, America putting seven aircraft carriers, support frigates and even submarines to seas in the region.
Defence sources told News Corp Australia not since the 1980s have such high level detections been made of foreign spooks, particularly Chinese looking for details of the nation’s strategic direction and military build-up.
Potential security vulnerabilities have been identified in the cutting edge technology being developed by supply chain networks of the several dozen small to medium firms feeding the multi-billion dollar development programs, that foreign spies are looking to exploit.
Specifically, they are seeking capability details of the $35 billion frigates development program as well as the much-touted new generation $50 billion submarines project.
Domestic spy group ASIO has warned Australian Defence Force chiefs as recently as two months ago “the risk of foreign intelligence services compromising Australia’s critical defence capabilities and acquisition program” was now at unprecedented levels prompting the need for “counter espionage measures” including screening and testing of computer networks.
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“Right now, there are more foreign intelligence officers and their proxies operating in Australia than at the height of the Cold War – many with the capability, the intent and the determination to cause significant harm to Australia’s national security,” Defence and parliament’s joint intelligence and security committee have been briefed.
Specifically, foreign espionage by Chinese agents and their proxies were targeting the Future Submarine Program as well as key Defence personnel “online and during overseas deployment”.
Footnotes in detailed finance papers tabled to parliament two months ago as part of ASIO’s expenditure review, hint at the level of espionage specifically targeting the Naval Group submarines development although don’t list China as the foreign culprit.
Meanwhile, the US has put to sea seven of its 11 aircraft carriers, including USS Theodore Roosevelt which was berthed at Guam for two months after more than 1100 sailors were infected and one died with COVID-19.
The US Pacific Fleet Submarine Force also took the unusual step this month of publicly revealing all of its forward-deployed submarines were conducting “contingency response operations “ in the Western Pacific. Subs operations are normally kept quiet.
That action came as China mocked the might of the US military struck by COVID-19 and docking much of their regional fleet.
China’s State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China was not using the cover of COVID-19 to expand its claims over the South China Sea and accused the US and allies including Australia of creating “instability with military flights and sea patrols”.
“Their ill-intentioned and despicable moves are meant to sow discord between China and (Southeast Asian countries) and undermine the hard-won stability in the region,” he said.
Originally published as China seeking to exploit Australian defence secret plans