Chinese agents harassing Uighur in Australia: American Ambassador
Chinese agents are stalking people in Australia, in a move the American Ambassador has labelled “unacceptable”. The revelation comes as Hong Kong students in Victoria report being harassed by Chinese students.
National
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The American Ambassador has confirmed Chinese agents are on the ground in Australia and intimidating members of the minority Uighur community.
Ambassador to Australia Arthur B. Culvahouse Jr told the Herald Sun he had met with Uighur people who had advised him they were being “harassed and followed by agents of a foreign power in Australia.’’
“People who are lawfully in a democratic country should not be harassed or followed or monitored by agents of a foreign power,’’ he said.
“As someone who fervently believes in democracy, we think … it’s just unacceptable.’’
Asked if the people conducting the intimidation campaign were connected to the Chinese government, Mr Culvahouse replied: “That’s our belief, yes.’’
Mr Culvahouse also expressed concern about the deteriorating situation in Hong Kong, where pro-democracy protests are being met with an increasingly brutal response by authorities.
“The President of the United States has just signed the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act which would impose sanctions against Chinese government officials who violate basic fundamental human rights,’’ he said.
“I just met with three Hong Kong students who are studying here in Victoria who have been active at some of those activities here in Melbourne supporting the Hong Kong position and I was distressed to learn that they were subjected to harassment and suffered adverse consequences as a result of their support.’’
He said the students had been harassed in person and on social media by people they believed to be students from mainland China.
The Ambassador’s frank confirmation that Chinese spies were operational in Australia comes as Canberra moves onto a more aggressive footing against Beijing’s creeping influence in politics, business and the university sector.
Mr Culvahouse said he and American Consul-General Michael Kleine had met with Uighurs in South Australia who had told them of their concerns.
Speaking in Melbourne, where he was attending the President’s Cup golf tournament, Mr Culvahouse also revealed America was “co-operating’’ with Australia in the case of would-be defector Wang Liqiang.
Mr Wang has sought asylum in Australia after outing himself as a spy and offering information on China’s foreign interference campaigns in Australia, Taiwan and Hong Kong. The Government is considering the information he has to offer, and whether to grant him asylum.
“We are co-operating with the Australian Government as the Australian Government decides its course of action,’’ Mr Culvahouse said.
“We have told them what we know about that individual and his situation, and that’s all I can say.’’
Mr Culvahouse’s muscular comments on China will find favour in Canberra, where the Parliament has passed legislation seeking to better identify people and activities involved in increasing China’s influence on Australian life.
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Both Australia and the US have also been raising concern about China detaining an estimated one million people, mainly members of the Uighur Muslim minority, in prison-like camps, where some have complained of being assaulted, sexually abused and having their children taken from them.
Those detained were ordered to renounce Islam and undergo “re-education.’’
China claimed earlier this week that all those detained in the western region of Xinjiang had been released after “graduating.’’
“We’re very concerned about the Uighur community and around the world,’’ Mr Culvahouse said.
“It is a human rights abuse of serious and consequential proportions.’’
Originally published as Chinese agents harassing Uighur in Australia: American Ambassador