Sub plot forces action: Canberra calls Beijing after secret submarine meeting with Newcastle mayor

A closed-door meeting between a Chinese diplomat and a NSW mayor has been noticed by the Australian government.

Comments made in a meeting between a top Chinese diplomat and a NSW mayor have been escalated to Beijing, after the diplomat asked questions about the future location of AUKUS nuclear submarines in a closed-door sit-down.

The Daily Telegraph understands the Australian Government has raised concerns over the comments with its Chinese counterparts, following last week’s meeting between China’s consul general in Sydney Wang Yu and Newcastle Lord Mayor Ross Kerridge.

Minutes of the meeting, obtained by The Daily Telegraph, revealed Mr Kerridge was asked if Newcastle’s port would be used to dock AUKUS submarines in the future.

The Opposition accused the government of “turning a blind eye to disturbing behaviour from China” after the sit-down was revealed.

“The Prime Minister must clarify whether he thinks this conduct aligns with what he describes as a respectful relationship between Australia and China,” Coalition home affairs spokesman Andrew Hastie said.

Australia is set to receive at least three submarines from the United States under the AUKUS deal. Picture: Department of Defence

The Telegraph asked the offices of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles whether they were aware of other similar approaches from Chinese diplomats to officials at local and state government levels.

A spokeswoman for assistant foreign Minister Matt Thistlewaite responded, saying “China has made no secret of its views about AUKUS”.

“Australia makes our decisions in our national interest – and it will be the Australian federal government that is responsible for our policies,” she said.

Newcastle’s deputy Lord Mayor Callum Pull on Thursday highlighted the Lord Mayor could know sensitive information, after meetings in the last year with Kongsberg Defence Australia, Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy and the Hunter Defence Task Force.

“I and other Councillors have questioned why we were not informed of, or invited to the meeting, and why the meeting occurred with apparently no agenda, stated intent or clear purpose,” Mr Pull said.

Newcastle Lord Mayor Ross Kerridge. Picture: Facebook

Mr Kerridge on Wednesday night posted a lengthy post on social media about the meeting, including a photo of Mr Albanese and Chinese president Xi Jinping shaking hands.

“He did explain that a submarine base in Newcastle would make China less interested in investing in the area,” Mr Kerridge wrote of the meeting with Mr Wang.

“It sounds very dramatic saying that these things were discussed, but I felt that these are topics that they have to introduce in order to state the Chinese government positions. I just politely noted his comments.”

Coalition defence spokesman Angus Taylor said “reports … officials from foreign governments are suggesting there would be economic retaliation against local councils over this decision are highly concerning and must be immediately investigated by the Minister for Defence”.

Strategic Analysis Australia director Michael Shoebridge said it was “startling to have a Chinese government official be so openly … focused on national security issues like where a submarine base will be in Australia, while the PM was on his extended friendship tour of China”.

“It shows the Chinese government can walk and chew gum – they can flatter our PM and business leaders … while pursuing Beijing security interests at exactly the same time,” he said.

“We need to understand both sides of China, and not just happy pandas and iron ore sales.”

Ms Wong and Mr Marles on Friday will meet with their British counterparts for a series of defence-focused meetings.