Omari Gates
In recent years, China has been accused of turning Australia into a puppet state through economic influence, political interference, and the spread of propaganda. China accounts for about a third of Australia's export earnings and is its largest trade partner. Beijing has been accused of using donations, investments, and funding of academic institutions to gain influence in Australian politics, businesses, and educational and religious groups. The Australian government has responded by tightening foreign investment rules and proposing new legislation to prevent foreign interference. While some welcome the discussion about China's influence, others worry it could fuel xenophobia.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| China's influence on Australian politics | China's funding of Confucius Institutes at 13 of Australia's 37 public universities |
| China-linked donors funding several Australian think tanks advancing China-friendly policies | |
| Nearly every major public institution in Australia has a "China strategy" | |
| China's influence on Australian public life | China accounts for roughly a third of Australia's export earnings |
| China was a big investor in Australia | |
| Chinese international students occupy 10% of all university places in Australia | |
| China's influence on Australian community groups | Pro-Chinese government advocates have made an "almost complete takeover" of Chinese community groups in Australia, such as social organizations, student groups, professional bodies, and Chinese-language media |
| China's influence on Australian research | Some Chinese-Australian scientists and academics are allowing advanced research to be shared with Chinese universities, either unintentionally through joint projects or because of duress |
| China's influence on Australian politicians | China-linked donors fund Australian politicians |
| China's influence on Australian businesses | Chinese state-owned and state-linked firms poured investment into the Australian state of Victoria |
| China's influence on Australian media | Chinese businessman Chau Chak Wing has won repeated lawsuits against Australian media that accused him of bribery and spying for China |
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What You'll Learn
China's economic influence in Australia
China has a significant economic influence on Australia, with the country accounting for about a third of Australia's export earnings. China has also been a significant investor in Australia, with Chinese state-owned and state-linked firms investing heavily in the Australian state of Victoria. Chinese international students also occupy 10% of all university places in Australia, and Beijing has funded Confucius Institutes at several Australian universities.
In recent years, however, Australia has taken steps to reduce China's economic influence in the country. In 2018, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced new legislation aimed at preventing foreign powers from "influencing the political process". This included a ban on all foreign political donations and a requirement for lobbyists to publicly register any overseas links. More recently, in 2020, Australia tightened its Foreign Investment Review Board procedures to make it harder for China-linked firms to acquire strategic Australian assets.
Despite these efforts, China's economic influence in Australia remains significant. China-linked donors continue to fund several Australia-based think tanks that advance China-friendly policies, and Chinese investment continues to play a crucial role in Australia's economy, particularly in the education sector.
The influence of China in Australia has been a divisive issue in Australian politics and public life, with some arguing that Beijing's reach has extended too far into Australian institutions and others expressing concern that efforts to counter this influence could fuel xenophobia.
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Chinese-Australian scientists and academics sharing research with China
China has long recognised Australia's importance, with the latter accounting for about a third of the former's export earnings. China is also a significant investor in Australia, with Chinese international students occupying 10% of all university places in the country. Beijing has also funded Confucius Institutes at 13 of Australia's 37 public universities.
In recent years, however, Australia has tightened its foreign investment policies to make it harder for China-linked firms to acquire strategic Australian assets. This follows a period where China-linked donors funded several Australian think tanks that advanced China-friendly policies.
Despite this, Australia and China continue to engage in scientific collaboration. The Australian and Chinese governments jointly fund the Young Scientists Exchange Programme (YSEP) for early to mid-career researchers. YSEP provides an opportunity for researchers from both countries to undertake a two-week exchange, establishing linkages with a range of research organisations and learning about each other's science and research environments.
Symposiums have also been held in both countries, covering topics such as biotechnology, nanotechnology, sustainability, synthetic biology, advanced materials, neuroscience, astronomy, and astrophysics. The bibliometric analysis indicates that international scientific collaboration between the two countries has expanded rapidly, from just four co-authored papers in 1981 to 2,040 in 2011.
Additionally, some Chinese-Australian scientists and academics are actively sharing their research with the Chinese community in Australia. For example, a researcher at the University of Sydney has been studying the history of the overseas Chinese diaspora in Australia and the Asia Pacific. They have shared their research with Chinese Australian community groups and have appeared on Radio National several times. Another researcher at the University of Sydney is working on a project with the Sydney Institute for Community Language Education and the Chinese community in New South Wales. They are also working on the project 'Multilingual Australia: Past and Present', which aims to critically investigate Australia's community, state, and national archives in their original languages.
While China's influence in Australia has been a cause for concern, the scientific collaboration and knowledge-sharing between the two countries have contributed to the expansion of scientific research and innovation.
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Chinese state-owned firms investing in the Australian state of Victoria
China has been Australia's biggest trade partner, and the country has also been a significant investor in Australia. While the United States is Australia's biggest foreign investor, China is the tenth largest, with 1.9% of the total foreign investment in the country. However, China's investment in Australia has grown significantly over the past decade.
In the Australian state of Victoria, Chinese investment has been particularly prominent. Between 2016 and 2018, at least eight Chinese state-owned and state-linked firms invested in Victoria, which then became the first and only Australian state to sign up for China's Belt and Road Initiative. This move was made in defiance of the national government's warnings.
The state's premier, Daniel Andrews, claimed that Victoria's share of Chinese investment in Australia had more than tripled in the four years since his government was elected in 2014. According to a report by KPMG, Victoria received an estimated $757 million in Chinese investment in 2014. However, the figures cited in the report lack clear sources and specific timeframes.
The increase in Chinese investment in Victoria has sparked concerns about China's influence on Australian politics and public life. In response, the Australian government has tightened its Foreign Investment Review Board procedures and proposed a new Foreign Relations Bill to grant the national government more power over state agreements with foreign entities.
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China's misinformation about COVID-19
China has long had Australia in its sights, and money is its favored weapon. China accounts for roughly a third of Australia's export earnings, and until recently, it was also a big investor in Australia. China's early misinformation about COVID-19 dealt a serious blow to its credibility in Australia.
The COVID-19 pandemic likely originated in Wuhan, China, and there is evidence to suggest that it may have been caused by a lab-related incident involving gain-of-function research. China has been accused of withholding crucial information and impeding the World Health Organization's (WHO) investigation into the origins of the virus. The WHO has released a report concluding that the pandemic was likely caused by a zoonotic spillover from bats, but the lab leak theory cannot be ruled out due to a lack of information from China.
China's influence in Australia extends beyond economics. Chinese international students occupy 10% of all university places in Australia, and Beijing has funded Confucius Institutes at 13 of Australia's 37 public universities. China-linked donors also fund several Australian think tanks that advance China-friendly policies. Additionally, between 2016 and 2018, at least eight Chinese state-owned and state-linked firms invested in the Australian state of Victoria, which then signed onto China's Belt and Road Initiative despite warnings from the national government.
The Australian government has taken steps to counter China's influence, including tightening foreign investment review procedures and proposing a new Foreign Relations Bill to give the national government more power over state and local agreements with foreign entities. However, there is a risk that Australia could become a puppet state for either China or the United States, as it is caught between its economic reliance on China and its political alliances with the US.
In conclusion, China's misinformation and lack of transparency regarding COVID-19 have damaged its reputation in Australia and hindered the global effort to understand and prevent future pandemics. Australia must carefully navigate its relationships with both China and the US to maintain its independence and sovereignty.
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China's influence on Australian political parties
China's influence on Australian politics has been a cause for concern for many Australians and their allies. China has been Australia's largest two-way trading partner, and the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement has been in effect since 2015. China accounts for roughly a third of Australia's export earnings, and Chinese international students occupy 10% of all university places in Australia. Beijing has funded Confucius Institutes at 13 of Australia's 37 public universities. China-linked donors fund several Australian think tanks advancing China-friendly policies, and nearly every major public institution in Australia has a "China strategy".
In addition to this, China has sought to influence Australian politics through political donors. A major figure in this wave of revelations and scandals was Huang Xiangmo, a billionaire property developer from China who gained permanent residency in Australia in 2011 and quickly gained political clout. Huang was a major political donor to both the Labor and Liberal parties. Huang threatened to cancel a promised donation of AU$400,000 to the Labor Party if the party did not soften its stance on the South China Sea. This threw Senator Sam Dastyari's reported remarks in support of China into an even more troubling light. Dastyari was forced to resign from parliament in December 2017 when it was revealed that he had warned Huang that his cell phone was likely being tapped by Australian and US intelligence services.
Another example is that of the controversial China-born and based businessman (and Australian citizen) Chau Chak Wing, who has given tens of millions of dollars to Australian universities and made a series of donations to patriotic Australian causes. A confidant of Chinese President Xi Jinping, he has repeatedly won lawsuits against Australian media outlets that accused him of bribery and spying for China.
In response to these developments, Australia has announced a serious tightening of its Foreign Investment Review Board procedures to make it harder for China-linked firms to acquire strategic Australian assets. They have also proposed a new Foreign Relations Bill to give the national government veto power over state and local agreements with foreign entities, and taken steps to open an inquiry by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security into foreign interference in Australia's universities.
Australia has long been an ally of the United States, but in recent years, it has also become increasingly economically dependent on China. This has created a complex situation for Australia, as it tries to balance its economic interests with China and its security partnerships with the US.
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Frequently asked questions
China has been accused of using "seduction, corruption and coercion" to influence Australian politics and public life. Beijing has funded Confucius Institutes at 13 of Australia's 37 public universities. China-linked donors fund several Australian think tanks advancing China-friendly policies. Nearly every major public institution in Australia has a “China strategy”.
The controversial China-born and based businessman (and Australian citizen) Chau Chak Wing has given tens of millions of dollars to Australian universities and made a series of donations to patriotic Australian causes. Between 2016 and 2018, at least eight Chinese state-owned and state-linked firms poured investment into the Australian state of Victoria, which then officially signed onto China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
China occupies 10% of all university places in Australia. Pro-Chinese government advocates have made an "almost complete takeover" of Chinese community groups in Australia, such as student groups. Prof Hamilton alleges that some Chinese-Australian scientists and academics are allowing advanced research to be shared with Chinese universities.
