Page 21 - The Giant Awakens - A Collection of Insights into Chinese Government Influence in Australia
P. 21
PHOTO: CAROLE LU
JIAZHEN QI Chinese Reporter Expelled During
Australia Day Celebrations
The Chinese
Consulate is In 2005, the Melbourne make her way out. This was the angry strides past the podium who listen to the orders of the
closely monitoring Chinese Federation held a first and only time I witnessed where Chen was still giving his Chinese Embassy and Chinese
every activity luncheon in celebration of a Chinese community leader speech. Consulate!” These are irrefutable
of groups they Australia Day. The Federation act so rudely in public. Perhaps facts.
label as counter consists of over 50 Chinese sub- Zhang really had a background Out of respect, I did not
to the Chinese organizations. Among them is in the Chinese Public Security want to make an early exit. My Later I learnt that on the
Communist Party. the Hainanese Association. Bureau! thoughts were to exchange views day of the luncheon the
with him afterwards, but my Federation invited six guests
The luncheon was a lively I quietly told my husband, Ian, husband had left so I decided to from the Chinese Consulate in
gathering of over 500 guests. what had unfolded. “They drove follow. Melbourne. As soon as the VIPs
A few minutes before its away the Epoch Times reporter.” sat down, they spotted Qin Xiao
commencement, Qin Xiao, a While I was walking pass the - the Epoch Times reporter.
reporter from The Epoch Times I also informed the vice stage, a Chinese consulate official
newspaper, walked towards president of Hainan Association was speaking enthusiastically Consul Yue’e Yang called over
our table saying, “Helen, I'm Qingqi Zhang (Melbourne about how overseas Chinese can Secretary-General Zhang from
leaving.” Shocked, I questioned, Daily editor at the time, now look to a strong Mainland for the Federation saying, “Who
“Why?” deceased) of the scene that I support. He must have seen me should leave? Qin Xiao or the
had witnessed. After hearing my leave. I proceeded downstairs six of us?"
"Secretary Zhang told me to account, Ian looked displeased. and walked out the door.
leave immediately.” He immediately stood up from Secretary Zhang sought
his seat and attempted to leave, Ian was still outraged, “These advice from president Wenshan
"For what reason?” saying, “How can this happen people are taking advantage Chen who decided, “Please ask
"Oh, it’s better not to talk here, this is Australia! While of Australia’s f reedom and Qin Xiao to leave of her own
about this now,” Qin answered celebrating Australia Day, they’re democracy and doing things accord.” Qin Xiao thus left “of
hesitatingly. getting rid of reporters?" that are against freedom and her own accord.” Consul Yue'e
At that very moment, a young democracy!" Yang also noted, “Jiazhen Qi
man with glasses in his early 30s I panicked, pulled Ian back is also here today. We are very
rushed over. It seemed that he and tried to calm him down, I responded, “Yes. This should unhappy with her. She has been
was the Federation’s Secretary- “Please sit down, Ian, we will not have happened.” very close with Falun Gong
General, Zhang. He was quite talk after this finishes.” The recently.” “But she bought her
aggressive, “I asked you to leave, president of the Federation, Ian continued, “I bet there own lunch tickets.” She added.
why did you come here? Hurry Wenshan Chen, was giving are so many Australian-Chinese
up, get out immediately!" a speech in fluent English, I was shocked by how in the
I was still asking Qin for thanking Australia for allowing Ian was still presence of over five hundred
an explanation. Zhang was Chinese people to come here outraged: “These people, they could still recognise
impatient and anxiously to enjoy democracy, freedom people are taking Qin Xiao easily, and even me –
demanded, “Come on, leave and a good life. He was also advantage of Jiazhen Qi, when I merely made
quickly, if you do not leave, the president of the Hainan Australia’s freedom one speech at a forum organised
Consul Yang will get me into Association. He donated one of and democracy by Falun Gong. It must be that
trouble!" his houses to serve as a venue for and doing things the Chinese Consulate is closely
"Who is Consul Yang and the Association and had been that are against monitoring every activity of
what makes him so important?” very friendly to me, thus I was freedom and groups they label as counter to
I thought. Qin Xiao was very inclined to stay, out of respect. democracy!” the Chinese Communist Party.
calm and left the event.
Secretary-General Zhang However, Ian wouldn’t listen Jiazhen (Helen) Qi was sentenced to
followed behind her, much in to me despite my persuasion. prison for 13 years during the Mao
the fashion that Mainland police Again, he tried to get up and era. She now lives with her husband
would escort prisoners. He stood leave, “Helen, I cannot stay in Melbourne and is the author of a
at the stairs, and watched Qin here!” Breaking away from my number of books including The Blue
grasp, Ian marched away with Sun and The Black Wall.
The Giant Awakens: Chinese Government Influence in Australia 21
JIAZHEN QI Chinese Reporter Expelled During
Australia Day Celebrations
The Chinese
Consulate is In 2005, the Melbourne make her way out. This was the angry strides past the podium who listen to the orders of the
closely monitoring Chinese Federation held a first and only time I witnessed where Chen was still giving his Chinese Embassy and Chinese
every activity luncheon in celebration of a Chinese community leader speech. Consulate!” These are irrefutable
of groups they Australia Day. The Federation act so rudely in public. Perhaps facts.
label as counter consists of over 50 Chinese sub- Zhang really had a background Out of respect, I did not
to the Chinese organizations. Among them is in the Chinese Public Security want to make an early exit. My Later I learnt that on the
Communist Party. the Hainanese Association. Bureau! thoughts were to exchange views day of the luncheon the
with him afterwards, but my Federation invited six guests
The luncheon was a lively I quietly told my husband, Ian, husband had left so I decided to from the Chinese Consulate in
gathering of over 500 guests. what had unfolded. “They drove follow. Melbourne. As soon as the VIPs
A few minutes before its away the Epoch Times reporter.” sat down, they spotted Qin Xiao
commencement, Qin Xiao, a While I was walking pass the - the Epoch Times reporter.
reporter from The Epoch Times I also informed the vice stage, a Chinese consulate official
newspaper, walked towards president of Hainan Association was speaking enthusiastically Consul Yue’e Yang called over
our table saying, “Helen, I'm Qingqi Zhang (Melbourne about how overseas Chinese can Secretary-General Zhang from
leaving.” Shocked, I questioned, Daily editor at the time, now look to a strong Mainland for the Federation saying, “Who
“Why?” deceased) of the scene that I support. He must have seen me should leave? Qin Xiao or the
had witnessed. After hearing my leave. I proceeded downstairs six of us?"
"Secretary Zhang told me to account, Ian looked displeased. and walked out the door.
leave immediately.” He immediately stood up from Secretary Zhang sought
his seat and attempted to leave, Ian was still outraged, “These advice from president Wenshan
"For what reason?” saying, “How can this happen people are taking advantage Chen who decided, “Please ask
"Oh, it’s better not to talk here, this is Australia! While of Australia’s f reedom and Qin Xiao to leave of her own
about this now,” Qin answered celebrating Australia Day, they’re democracy and doing things accord.” Qin Xiao thus left “of
hesitatingly. getting rid of reporters?" that are against freedom and her own accord.” Consul Yue'e
At that very moment, a young democracy!" Yang also noted, “Jiazhen Qi
man with glasses in his early 30s I panicked, pulled Ian back is also here today. We are very
rushed over. It seemed that he and tried to calm him down, I responded, “Yes. This should unhappy with her. She has been
was the Federation’s Secretary- “Please sit down, Ian, we will not have happened.” very close with Falun Gong
General, Zhang. He was quite talk after this finishes.” The recently.” “But she bought her
aggressive, “I asked you to leave, president of the Federation, Ian continued, “I bet there own lunch tickets.” She added.
why did you come here? Hurry Wenshan Chen, was giving are so many Australian-Chinese
up, get out immediately!" a speech in fluent English, I was shocked by how in the
I was still asking Qin for thanking Australia for allowing Ian was still presence of over five hundred
an explanation. Zhang was Chinese people to come here outraged: “These people, they could still recognise
impatient and anxiously to enjoy democracy, freedom people are taking Qin Xiao easily, and even me –
demanded, “Come on, leave and a good life. He was also advantage of Jiazhen Qi, when I merely made
quickly, if you do not leave, the president of the Hainan Australia’s freedom one speech at a forum organised
Consul Yang will get me into Association. He donated one of and democracy by Falun Gong. It must be that
trouble!" his houses to serve as a venue for and doing things the Chinese Consulate is closely
"Who is Consul Yang and the Association and had been that are against monitoring every activity of
what makes him so important?” very friendly to me, thus I was freedom and groups they label as counter to
I thought. Qin Xiao was very inclined to stay, out of respect. democracy!” the Chinese Communist Party.
calm and left the event.
Secretary-General Zhang However, Ian wouldn’t listen Jiazhen (Helen) Qi was sentenced to
followed behind her, much in to me despite my persuasion. prison for 13 years during the Mao
the fashion that Mainland police Again, he tried to get up and era. She now lives with her husband
would escort prisoners. He stood leave, “Helen, I cannot stay in Melbourne and is the author of a
at the stairs, and watched Qin here!” Breaking away from my number of books including The Blue
grasp, Ian marched away with Sun and The Black Wall.
The Giant Awakens: Chinese Government Influence in Australia 21
