US spy boss warns of China election meddling

The former head of the largest US intelligence agency says Australia should be ‘mindful’ of China in the federal election.

‘The digital age (has) taken this to a new level’: former NSA director Michael Rogers. Picture: Getty Images

The former head of America’s largest intelligence agency has warned Australia to be “mindful’’ of the danger of China seeking to interfere in the federal election.

Admiral Mike Rogers, head of the National Securit­y Agency until last year, was a key figure in identifying Russian interference and influence activities to help Donald Trump during the 2016 US presidential election.

Mr Rogers said that given China’s recent behaviour in the US, where Mr Trump accused it of seeking to interfere in the recent US mid-term elections, it would be prudent for Australia to be fully aware of the potential for Beijing to seek to meddle in the process.

When asked about China and the forthcoming Australian election, Mr Rogers said: “I would tell every democracy out there that we just need to be mindful.

“Thirty years ago no nation needed to worry about the idea of using cyber, social media and other tools to attempt to manip­ulate or influence (democratic) outcomes, but the digital age and social media have taken this to a new level, whether there is more means by nation states and indiv­idual actors to manipulate or ­influence.

Mr Rogers, who headed the NSA from 2014 until May last year and is also a former head of US Cyber Command, said the US had become much more vocal in ­calling out China on its covert behaviour­, which sought to influence American public opinion and the democratic process in the US.

“We’ve been very public about the process that we … have gone through and the activity that we’ve seen,” he said. “We have upped our game and have put more focus on this and we have allocated assets to ensuring confidence (in the democratic process).’’

Mr Rogers’s warning on China carries weight. He is one of the most senior and respected figures in the US intelligence community. He is also increasing his involvement with Australia, having been appointed this week to the US advisor­y board of the influential Australia-US Leadership Dialogue. He will visit the country in May at the invitation of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.

Australia suffered a major setback in relations with China last year after passing laws to crack down on foreign interference in domestic politics and society.

The laws were passed after revel­ations about China’s ­attempts to influence federal politicians, although the government claimed they were not aimed at Beijing.

In August last year, Canberra again angered China by banning telco giant Huawei from building Australia’s emerging 5G network.

As revealed by The Australian late last year, the Trump White House is using Australia as its lead as it prepares to issue a historic forma­l ban on China providing technology for its next-generation 5G mobile network on nationa­l ­security grounds.

Mr Rogers said: “I thought both the process and the outcome are good decisions and smart decisions for Australia.”

Last September, the US President accuse­d China of interfering in the US mid-terms because of his decision to spark a tariff trade war with Beijing.

“They do not want me or us to win because I am the first president to ever challenge China on trade,” he told the UN Security Council.

In response to his claims, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi said: “We did not, and will not, interfe­re in any country’s domes­tic affairs. We refuse to accept any unwarranted accusations.”

The US House of Represent­atives pushed last year for a crackdown on Chinese political inter­ference by introducing a bill which also called for a closer partnership with Australia on the issue.

The bill did not pass the house, but it was introduced into the ­Senate yesterday.

Cameron Stewart is also US contributor for Sky News Australia