SBS News in Filipino, Tuesday 5 August 2025
Chinese national faces court in Canberra over foreign interference charges.
Philippines and India mark 75 years of diplomatic ties; leaders expected to discuss economic and trade cooperation. 📢 Where to Catch SBS Filipino
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
4 hours ago
- News.com.au
Chinese interference the new norm for Australia, expert warns
China will only continue ramping up secretive efforts to advance its domestic and international agenda in Australia this century despite the Albanese government's attempts to normalise relations, a leading national security expert says. The assessment comes a day after the Australian Federal Police charged a Chinese national with 'reckless foreign interference' in Canberra. The woman, a permanent resident of Australia, is accused of covertly collecting information about the Canberra branch of a Buddhist association called Guan Yin Citta on behalf of China's Public Security Bureau. The Guan Yin Citta association is banned in China. Chris Taylor of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) told NewsWire it reflects 'the reality of espionage and foreign interference directed against Australia'. 'It's an actual, real thing – it exists,' Mr Taylor said. Pointing to an espionage report released by Australia's domestic intelligence agency, he said there was 'a clear intensification of foreign intelligence interest in Australia'. 'Australia is paying a lot more attention to these issues than it may have in the past, not so much at the governmental level … but at a public level too,' Mr Taylor said. 'The messaging that's gone out from government about espionage, about foreign interference, over the last couple of years means that people in the community are more alive to it as a potential issue.' The other factor is 'the big picture, strategic changes that are occurring'. 'The fact that international politics, international power, is concentrating in the Indo-Pacific, concentrating in East Asia, means that it's no surprise that Australia's moved to the front lines of that contest in a way that we really weren't a couple of decades ago.' As for why Beijing would target a Buddhist group in the Australian capital, Mr Taylor said it was about keeping its diaspora in line abroad. This is not new for China. Analysts have long warned of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) influence suppressing free speech on university campuses, with students dobbing in fellow students who voice views that rub Beijing up the wrong way. 'For a lot of authoritarian regimes, they have an abiding interest in what they see as their nationals overseas, whether that's students, whether that's members of diaspora communities,' Mr Taylor said. 'So that kind of foreign intelligence activity ends up bounding that objective. 'It's actually not so much how we might imagine classical espionage directed towards the secrets of the Australian state. 'It's directed towards finding out what those communities are doing and trying to influence what those communities are doing, in a kind of focus on the interests of a regime, rather than the interests of a foreign country as such.' '21st century for Australia' Foreign interference was not among the issues Anthony Albanese broached with reporters on his lengthy state visit to China last month. Instead, the Prime Minister opted for less touchy topics, such as cash-splashing Chinese holiday-makers pumping billions into Australia's thirsty tourism sector. His hosts were also eager to spruik the potential gains of deepening economic ties amid global turmoil driven by Donald Trump's tariffs. Xi Jinping talked of 'unswervingly' pursuing deeper Sino-Australian co-operation regardless of 'how the international landscape may evolve' when he met Mr Albanese. The message was in line with Mr Albanese's own words as he met with business leaders and CCP top brass, championing Australia's trade and research offerings in Shanghai, Beijing and Chengdu. While he often repeated his mantra of working with Beijing 'where we can' and disagreeing 'where we must', he made clear he saw China as key to Australia's economic future. Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Tuesday was hesitant to say if news of the suspected Chinese agent in Canberra would harm that relationship, but vowed the Albanese government 'will safeguard our democracy'. 'Our democracy is about who we are,' Senator Wong told the ABC. 'And that means we will stand together against any foreign interference. 'We have strong frameworks in place. 'We will not tolerate collectively or as a government, Australians being harassed or surveilled. We will continue to safeguard the democracy.' On relations with Beijing, she said 'dialogue matters'. 'Dialogue is important. Dialogue enables us to manage difference but it doesn't eliminate it,' Senator Wong said. Echoing Australia's chief diplomat, Mr Taylor said it was just a reality that China would spy and meddle in Australia, no matter how 'incongruous' with what Beijing and Canberra say. 'We're being realistic that countries spy on each other, that China and Australia's interests security interests will differ,' he said. 'This is the 21st Century for Australia. 'It's dealing with these incongruities. 'It's dealing with living in a region that has become this increasingly contested space.' He added that 'we shouldn't be we should any less aggrieved, but we should be probably less surprised that people are engaged in espionage against us.'
SBS Australia
6 hours ago
- SBS Australia
'Serious crime' or 'tiny risk': Police have warned of foreign interference, but what is it?
The Australian Federal Police charged a Chinese national with reckless foreign interference on Saturday. Diaspora communities are being asked to look out for foreign interference and to report suspicious activity. The AFP is saying it plans to make more arrests under foreign interference laws. Foreign interference charges are rarely seen in Australia, but fresh allegations against a Chinese national have prompted authorities to issue a warning, particularly for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities. An Australian Federal Police (AFP) assistant commissioner has described the offence as a "serious crime", but a policing expert says there's a "tiny risk" to the public. So what constitutes foreign interference, and should you be worried? What is foreign interference? Foreign interference is a broad term. AFP assistant commissioner Stephen Nutt explained it in the context of charges made at the weekend. "Foreign interference is a serious crime that undermines democracy and social cohesion. It is a crime carried out by or on behalf of a foreign principal that involves covert and deceptive conduct or threats of serious harm or menacing demands," he said. An AFP fact sheet adds that it is targeted towards CALD communities. Dr Michael Kennedy, policing studies professor at the University of New England, told SBS News foreign interference is a "vague" term, with no clear-cut definition. "It's a case of the AFP throwing out a scary phrase, creating a moral panic, and then not explaining what they actually mean," he said. What do we know about this recent case? A suppression order has been put in place to shield the woman's identity. Nutt said the agency plans to make more arrests in relation to the woman's activities. He said that despite this arrest, diasporas could still be targeted by foreign interference. "The AFP and our partners are working with diaspora communities to help protect them from this criminality," he said. What can foreign interference look like? The AFP has outlined six main signs of how foreign interference can take form in the community: Assault or threats of assault. Blackmail. Kidnapping, unlawful detainment or deprivation of liberty. Stalking and unwanted physical or electronic surveillance. Coercion of a person by threatening their family or associates overseas to force them to comply. Online disinformation campaigns through social media to discredit a person or group. Should you be concerned? The AFP has issued a warning to people to remain alert, report suspicious activity, although those instructions are "vague", Kennedy told SBS News. He said the AFP is making a big deal over a crime that is rare and a "tiny risk" to the community. "There's always a risk someone could be targeted, but I'd say it's a tiny risk. There's not much reason for the Chinese government, for instance, to be concerned about a small group's business". He said that while China may be interested in exerting influence in Australia, it probably wouldn't impact people's everyday lives. "They're [China] not trying to indoctrinate people; they don't want everyone to speak Chinese in school. There are 1.5 billion of them, they don't care what 25 or so million Australians think," he added. Kennedy felt that the AFP's focus on foreign interference was "out of proportion" with the reality of the danger. "I think foreign interference is just an unnecessary headline that creates tension that doesn't need to be put out there," he said. "The AFP is saying it's very dangerous, but it's not." Any concerns and/or instances of foreign interference in the community can be reported to the National Security Hotline: 1800 123 400
News.com.au
9 hours ago
- News.com.au
Australia to buy 11 advanced warships from Japan
Australia will upgrade its navy with 11 Mogami-class frigates built by Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Tuesday. Australia is in the midst of a major military restructuring announced in 2023, turning towards long-range strike capabilities to better respond to China's naval might. It is striving to expand its fleet of major warships from 11 to 26 over the next 10 years. "This is clearly the biggest defence-industry agreement that has ever been struck between Japan and Australia," Marles said, touting the US$6 billion (Aus$10 billion) deal. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries was awarded the tender over Germany's ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. "This decision was made based on what was the best capability for Australia," Marles said. "We do have a very close strategic alignment with Japan." Mogami-class warships are advanced stealth frigates equipped with a potent array of weapons. Marles said they would replace Australia's ageing fleet of Anzac-class vessels, with the first Mogami-class ship to be in service by 2030. "The Mogami-class frigate is the best frigate for Australia," said Marles. "It is a next-generation vessel. It is stealthy. It has 32 vertical launch cells capable of launching long-range missiles." Defence industry minister Pat Conroy said the frigates were capable of launching long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. - 'More lethal' - "The acquisition of these stealth frigates will make our navy a bigger navy, and a more lethal navy," he said. The first three Mogami-class frigates will be built overseas, Conroy said, with shipbuilding yards in Western Australia expected to produce the rest. Australia announced a deal to acquire US-designed nuclear-powered submarines in 2021, scrapping a years-long plan to develop non-nuclear subs from France. Under the tripartite AUKUS pact with the United States and the United Kingdom, the Australian navy plans to acquire at least three Virginia-class submarines within 15 years. The AUKUS submarine programme alone could cost the country up to US$235 billion over the next 30 years, according to Australian government forecasts, a price tag that has stoked criticism of the strategy. Major defence projects in Australia have long suffered from cost overruns, government U-turns, policy changes and project plans that make more sense for local job creation than defence. Australia plans to gradually increase its defence spending to 2.4 percent of gross domestic product -- above the two percent target set by its NATO allies, but well short of US demands for 3.5 percent.
