China relations
Australia shuns Trump's lead to shut Chinese diplomatic posts
Andrew TillettPolitical correspondent
Jul 23, 2020 – 6.04pm
The Morrison government will not follow the Trump administration's lead and close Chinese diplomatic posts, despite an Australian defence contractor being among the alleged victims of intellectual property theft at the hands of Chinese hackers.
But former minister Concetta Fierravanti-Wells called on the government to be prepared to expel Chinese diplomats, saying post-pandemic Australians would not tolerate business as usual with the communist regime.
A fire engine outside the Chinese Consulate in Houston after reports of people were burning paper in what appeared to be rubbish bins. AP
The US dramatically escalated its fight with China on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST), giving Beijing 72 hours' notice to shut its Houston consulate after claiming it was an epicentre of spying and influence operations, including stealing trade secrets. China has threatened to retaliate and could close US diplomatic posts.
The move came just hours after an unsealed US Justice Department indictment accused two Chinese hackers of stealing a treasure trove of data from at least 25 entities in the US and overseas, including research on a vaccine for coronavirus, weapons and engineering data as well as information on dissidents.
The unnamed Australian defence contractor had 320 gigabytes of data stolen, including source code, engineering schematics and technical manuals. An Australian solar engineering firm was also targeted.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison last month revealed a "sophisticated state-based actor" had orchestrated a wave of attacks against Australian governments, businesses and organisations. While the government has not publicly blamed a country, China is widely regarded as the culprit.
However, it is understood Australia will not take such drastic action as the US, despite relations between Canberra and Beijing being at a low ebb.
"We expect all foreign missions to act in an appropriate manner, consistent with Australian laws," the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said in a statement.
But Senator Fierravanti-Wells, a former minister for international development and the Pacific, said the government should not rule out banishing diplomats.
"The insidious activities of Beijing loyalists in Australia and their interaction with the communist regime's diplomats posted here has been growing and has been evidenced in publications, books and articles," she said.
"Post Wuhan coronavirus, Australians will not tolerate 'business as usual' with the communist regime. Where there are breaches of the law, Australia will need to take decisive action, including the expulsion of diplomats."
Key crossbench senator Rex Patrick called on the government to immediately reduce China's diplomatic footprint, saying Chinese officials were engaged in foreign interference, espionage and intimidation activities on Australian soil.
He questioned why China had 148 diplomatic and consular staff in Australia compared with the US with 108 staff and Japan on 55.
Australia China Relations Institute executive director Professor James Laurenceson said the US decision to close the Houston consulate was "quite extreme" in terms of diplomatic responses but he expected Australia to avoid similar steps.
"I don't think this is the Australian approach," he said.
The Defence Department, meanwhile, played down an encounter between five Australian warships and the Chinese navy during a transit in the South China Sea last week, when the Australia ships sailed close to the disputed Spratly Islands.
Defence said the task group's transit occurred in international waters in accordance with freedom of navigation rights.
"There was no confrontation," it said in a statement.
"All interactions with foreign warships throughout the deployment were conducted in a safe and professional manner, as we would expect in response to vessels operating in international waters in accordance with international law. There was routine and professional naval communications."
Australian Strategic Policy Institute executive director Peter Jennings said the Chinese navy's tactics included cutting across the front of other ships to force a change of direction, coming too close and buzzing ships with helicopters. Recently a Chinese "fishing boat" rammed a Japanese destroyer.
"There definitely is a danger here at a time when the PLA is trying to be a wolf warrior as much as the rest of the Chinese system," he said.
Andrew Tillett writes on politics, foreign affairs, defence and security from the Canberra press gallery. Connect with Andrew on Facebook and Twitter. Email Andrew at andrew.tillett@afr.com
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