China-linked Victorian government staffer Nancy’s coronavirus conspiracy

A Beijing-linked Andrews government staffer suggests coronavirus created by US.

Long-serving Andrews government staffer and former visa officer for the Chinese consulate in Melbourne Nancy Yang.

A long-serving Andrews government staffer with links to the highest levels of the Chinese Communist Party’s United Front Work Department has posted a series of articles and videos on social media suggesting coronavirus was created by the US and transported to China by the US Army.

The comments from Nancy Yang, who has worked as an electorate officer for Andrews government MPs since 2013, come as Victoria seeks to defend its decision to sign up to China’s Belt and Road Initiative despite opposition from the federal government and the Department of Foreign ­Affairs and Trade.

In March, Ms Yang, who had worked as a visa officer for the Chinese consulate in Melbourne, posted an article on her Facebook page under the heading “Chinese official suggests US Army to blame for outbreak”, commenting: “U.S. owe an ­explanation.”

She subsequently posted YouTube clips entertaining conspir­acy theories about US respon­sibility for COVID-19, including one entitled: “The coronavirus CONSPIRACY – Did COVID-19 come from America?”

Ms Yang with Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews.

Bracks Labor government minister Andre Haermeyer commented on Ms Yang’s post, saying: “Nancy, China is not to blame for the virus, but the dictatorship in Beijing is to blame for lying to the World Health Organisation and persecuting the doctors that blew the whistle on it.”

“Had they spent that time immediately trying to contain it rather than cover it up, it would have been contained to the region of origin and we would not have thousands dying in China and around the world,” he posted in comments that received no response from Ms Yang.

Ms Yang founded United Front-linked group the Melbourne Chinese Youth United Association in 2006, and served as its chair until 2016.

Alongside Premier Daniel Andrews’s senior adviser on China, Marty Mei, Ms Yang is also a committee member of the Chinese Community Council of Australia (Victoria) — described by China expert Clive Hamilton as the “foremost United Front ­organisation in Victoria”. The United Front Work Department is the Chinese Communist Party’s primary overseas influence and interference network.

Ms Yang with former federal opposition leader Bill Shorten.

In her role as MCYUA chair and during her time at the Chinese consulate, Ms Yang was an organiser for a rally at the Olympic Torch relay in 2008 that saw thousands of Chinese students from around Australia bussed to Canberra to engage in what Professor Hamilton described as a “rowdy, intimidating and at times violent” protest against Tibetans and their supporters.

The MCYUA has a “propaganda department” and seeks to “organise (members) to serve the motherland in various forms”.

In a blog post still online on Monday, Ms Yang wrote about meeting United Front head Liu Yangdong during a 2007 trip to Beijing to attend a “Returned Western Scholars Association” forum. She says she told reporters after the meeting: “No matter how long the shadow of the tree is, the roots will always be entrenched in the land; no matter where we are, we will always care about the motherland.”

Ms Yang with former prime minister Julia Gillard.

Professor Hamilton said he found Ms Yang’s social media comments as an Andrews government staff member “really extraordinary … She’s a very brazen United Front activist, one of several operating within Victoria’s parliament. They’re operating with impunity, gathering information, extending their influence.

“We see it most alarmingly in the influence over Daniel Andrews as reflected in the Belt and Road agreement,” he said.

In response to detailed questions on Ms Yang’s social media posts and links to the United Front, an Andrews government spokeswoman said: “(She) is making an outstanding contribution to her local community. We have no further ­comment.”

Ms Yang did not respond to questions.