Australia defends intelligence raids as spat with China escalates
13 September, 2020
Australia's Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton on Sunday (Sep 13) defended the government's to intelligence raids to prevent foreign interference, after China condemned searches on the homes of its journalists employed in Australia.
Dutton declined to directly concur that the Chinese journalists were questioned by Australia's intelligence organization in June, saying an investigation was still underway, but said there is some "activity" by the country's intelligence agency.
"Where (the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation) has enough grounds for the execution of a search warrant, or perhaps for activities otherwise, then they'll undertake that activity," Dutton explained on the Australian Broadcasting Corp (ABC) television.
"If people are masquerading as journalists or perhaps business leaders or perhaps whoever they could be, and there's evidence they are acting in a good contrary nature to Australian laws, then .... (the) companies will act."
The raids were revealed by China's foreign ministry the other day in the wake of two Australian journalists departing China after questioning by Chinese police. Australia's trade minister explained on Friday the organizations acted on evidence linked to a international interference investigation.
On Saturday, China's talk about media condemned the raids.
Relations between Australia and its top trading spouse China have already been deteriorating slowly but surely over the recent years and also have soured further this season after Canberra needed an investigation in to the origins of the novel coronavirus, angering Beijing.
China offers imposed trade limitations on goods including barley and wines, prompting Australia to tighten national security tests for foreign purchase.
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