June 16, 2024
Federal police told some of the nation's most prominent critics of the Chinese Communist Party they were suspected targets of a foreign interference operation, warning them to avoid adopting a predictable daily routine to prevent putting themselves in danger.
Activist Drew Pavlou and journalist Vicky Xu told The Sun-Herald the Australian Federal Police asked them not to speak to anyone about the investigation, but had decided to go public out of frustration that no arrests had been made, or charges laid, since they were informed about the probe 10 months ago.
Details of the secretive foreign interference probe have come to light as Chinese Premier Li Qiang arrives in Adelaide for a four-day Australian visit, highlighting difficulties that remain in the Australia-China relationship despite markedly improved trade ties.
Pavlou, a University of Queensland student who ran for the Senate in the 2022 federal election on an anti-Beijing platform, said he was called in for a meeting at the AFP's Brisbane offices in August.
"I was informed by three AFP officers that there was an ongoing investigation into foreign interference that had unearthed attempts by agents of foreign interference to find my address and where I live," Pavlou wrote in a contemporaneous note provided to The Sun-Herald.
"Search warrants had been issued and searches had taken place, but no arrests. There would be a possibility that I would have to be a crown witness in a foreign interference trial."
He said he strongly suspected the operatives were seeking his address for a nefarious purpose.
Pavlou, who lives with his mother and father, said: "I've agonised about whether to come forward on this. They said I shouldn't tell a single soul, not even my mum."
He said he had decided to speak publicly because he found it "mindboggling" that no legal action had yet been taken against those involved.
Pavlou has conducted several highprofile and controversial protest actions against China, including at the Australian Open and Wimbledon tennis tournaments. In 2022 he was detained by British police after the Chinese embassy in London reported a bomb threat sent under his name. Pavlou insisted the email was a fake, and British police later cleared him of any wrongdoing.
Pavlou said the AFP told him it had taken unidentified measures to disrupt the attempted foreign interference and he did not require security protection as there was no ongoing threat to his safety.
He urged Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to raise foreign interference with Li during his visit, saying: "The government should make clear this is a completely unacceptable breach of Australia's sovereignty."
Xu, who wrote an influential 2020 report on Uyghurs being used for forced labour in China, said she received a call from AFP in August last year while living in Germany.
The comedian and researcher said police told her they had identified persons of interest in a foreign interference investigation relating to her. "The AFP said do not go to the media about this because it may go to court," she said. "I was told not to talk to anyone."
Xu said police advised her not to regularly visit the same cafe and to switch between walking and running while in public to avoid becoming a target.
Xu said she was baffled that no action was taken nor anything subsequently heard from police about the matter.
Xu said she no longer felt safe living permanently in Australia after being followed and sent death threats after her work on repression in China.
"I travel constantly, I move every few months," she said. "My theory is that if I move around a lot, it will push up the budget so much China will eventually give up on following me."
While welcoming the improvement in trade relations between Australia and China, she said: "We must not forget that Australian sovereignty is the basis of everything, and the government has a duty to protect its citizens."
An AFP spokesman said: "Espionage and foreign interference represent a serious threat to Australian sovereignty and security and the integrity of our national institutions.
"The AFP is a member of the Counter Foreign Interference Taskforce, which is investigating a range of foreign interference matters. It would be inappropriate to comment further on the status of those investigations."
Under questioning from opposition home affairs spokesman James Paterson, AFP deputy commissioner Krissy Barrett told Senate estimates hearings this month that police were conducting "an active and ongoing" foreign interference investigation that involved "a number of potential victims".
"Yes, we have taken some overt action, but there are still aspects of the investigation that I can't talk about in a public forum," Barrett said.
Barrett said police had identified the concerning behaviour at an early stage.
"I think that should give the community confidence that we are aware and that we are taking action," she said.
Paterson said he was disappointed that landmark foreign interference laws had been used just twice since being passed in 2018, despite ASIO director-general Mike Burgess identifying espionage and foreign interference as Australia's most serious national security threats.
"If there are no consequences there is no deterrence," Paterson said.
"No Australian citizen should have to change their behaviour because of fears they will be harassed by foreign agents."
