prime minister of Australia refers to possible attempts to plant chinese spy in the parliament as worrying.
Australia are investigating a possible attempt to plant a chinese spy into the australian parliament.
It confirms the australian intelligence service (ASIO), in a rare press release.
the Announcement comes the day after the program “60 Minutes” on australian tv channel Nine has shed light on the matter.
According to the programme, have a chinese spionalliance allegedly offered one million australian dollars to get a chinese-australian man to stand up to the australian elections. This corresponds to 4.6 million Danish kroner.
that man is a dealer of luxury cars in Melbourne by the name of Bo “Nick” Zhao.
– “60 Minutes” comes with accusations, as ASIO takes very seriously, says the director of the secret service Mike Burgess in the message.
– Australians can know that ASIO was already aware of the issues, which were described in the television program, and is actively investigating them.
The chinese embassy in Australia’s capital, Canberra, has not commented on the matter.
prime minister of Australia, Scott Morrison, called the case deeply troubling.
– I find the allegations deeply troubling and disturbing, ” he says at a news conference.
the Television program quote sikkerhedskilder to say that Zhao has told ASIO about the request received from the chinese spionalliance, which was mediated through another businessman in Melbourne.
Zhao was found dead in a hotel room in march.
the ASIO director Burgess states that he will not comment on the matter further.
– the Hostile, alien powers ‘ activities continue to pose a real threat to our country and its security. ASIO will continue to confront and fight outside interference and espionage in Australia, he says in the message.
Australia’s relationship with China, which is the country’s main trading partner, has deteriorated over the past year.
/ritzau/Reuters
