Donald Trump orders probe into Chinese influence

The Trump administration has ­ordered an investigation into China’s meddling in US internal affairs.

Donald Trump has ordered a probe into Chinese influence in US affairs.

The Trump administration has ­ordered an investigation into China’s meddling in US internal affairs as a direct result of Aus­tralia’s concern about growing interference from Beijing.

The move follows calls by leading US congressmen for the Trump White House to back Australia in its efforts to stand up to China over foreign ­interference.

News of the investigation comes amid a backlash by China over claims by International ­Development Minister Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, who this week accused China of lending funds to Pacific nations on unfavourable terms, constructing “useless buildings” and “duchessing” local politicians. China has lodged a formal diplomatic protest over the claims.

In a sign that the US is now looking closely at Australia’s concerns, a US National Security Council ­interagency group has opened an investigation into what it describes as “the grey area” of Chinese covert influence operations, including growing concerns in the US over Chinese influence at universities, and so-called Confucius ­Institutes — which also exist in Australia — as well as infiltration of prominent think tanks.

“What we’re talking about are coercive and covert activities ­designed to influence elections, ­officials, policies, company decisions and public opinion,” a White House official told The Washington Post, which said the investi­gation has been sparked by concerns about what was happening in Australia.

Chen Hong, director of the Australian Studies Centre at East China Normal University in Shanghai, told The Weekend Australian yesterday it “is very unwise for Australia to poke and peck its closest and biggest trading partner” and it is now seen as influencing other countries. “From this example, China further realises the broad scale, global impact and lasting harm of the Turnbull ­administration’s anti-China campaign,’’ he said.

“China will remember that New Zealand, Germany and now the US have been following ­Australia’s suit.”

The new probe shows the US is paying more attention to the issue of Chinese interference in its domestic affairs after being largely preoccupied with the issue of Russian interference.­

­Donald Trump’s recent national security strategy warned of the growing threat also posed by other countries like China that sought to undermine Western democracies through insidious interference in their key institutions.

The Turnbull government’s new foreign interference laws have also attracted attention at the highest level in Washington. Last month, former US ­Republican presidential contender Marco Rubio publicly raised the story of fallen Labor senator Sam Dastyari.

Another US congressman, Chris Smith, described Australia as being in a “national crisis” over China’s push to interfere in its politics, business and academia.

“Australia in particular is in the midst of a national crisis and all like-minded democratic allies should be supporting their efforts to root out those elements intended to corrupt or co-opt Australian political and academic institutions,’’ he said.

Additional reporting: Rowan Callick

Cameron Stewart is also US contributor for Sky News Australia