Page 4 - The Giant Awakens - A Collection of Insights into Chinese Government Influence in Australia
P. 4
This is about silencing dissent.
It is not ordinary soft power.
Indeed, much of donations were enough for Indeed, much of the worry a whole, is Beijing’s effort to It is vital to underline at this
the worry about the Director-General of the about such influence is within control and shape overseas and all junctures that criticism
such influence is Australian Security Intelligence this country’s diverse Chinese Chinese-language media. of Chinese Communist Party
within this country’s Organisation (ASIO) to take the communities. If, as a nation, we influence is not about ethnicity.
diverse Chinese highly unusual step of directly chose to ignore such concerns, Additionally, the use of WeChat We need to guard against any
communities. If, warning the major parties that we would be effectively treating and Weibo by many Chinese risk of this issue turning into
as a nation, we they and Australia’s national such dissenting voices among speakers in this country means one of suspicion or xenophobia
chose to ignore security could be compromised our Chinese-Australian that the Communist Party directed generally at Australia’s
such concerns, by such donations. population as second-class can censor what they are Chinese communities.
we would be Australians, whose freedom reading without having to own
effectively treating For the head of ASIO to of thought and freedom of Australian-based publications at There needs to be reassurance
such dissenting take such a step suggests he expression do not warrant all. given to Chinese Australians
voices among our was genuinely worried, from a protection. that they are included, welcomed
Chinese-Australian national security and national As respected China scholar and cherished as integral to the
population as interest point of view. That is why it is to the credit John Fitzgerald points out, social and political – as well
second-class of the Australian Government what is exceptional here is as economic – fabric of this
Australians, whose Security agencies cannot take that it made representations not that China is seeking to multicultural nation.
freedom of thought effective action on any of this on the Chongyi Feng case. It is engage with the more than one
and freedom of because it has been entirely legal fair to assume that his release million Australians of Chinese To reiterate, it is vital to
expression do not – all they can do is raise the was in large part a function origin. Engagement with a remember that many Chinese
warrant protection. alarm. of the public outcry about his diaspora community is a normal Australians are anxious about
detention, as well as Australian and healthy thing for any the role of the Chinese party-
It is now up to the political government pressure. He government to do – Ireland does state inside this country.
class to decide whether there is, certainly believes so. it, India does it, Australia does it,
within Australian democracy, China can and should too. What They are also understandably
enough self-respect to function In the media space, there is is extraordinary is the level of worried about the harm the
without money linked to the also cause for concern. Several influence, sometimes manifested actions of a small number may
Chinese Communist Party. This, leading Australia media outlets through intimidation, that the do to the reputation of the
after all, is a massive, secretive, have signed distribution deals Communist Party has over Chinese diaspora here, whether
self-interested and foreign with the Party’s Propaganda Chinese language media in this citizens, permanent residents or
organisation, with interests that Department. country. students.
can sometimes clash directly
with Australia’s. The Australian public can now This is about silencing dissent. So the issue of foreign
enjoy censored and propagandist It is not ordinary soft power. All interference needs to be addressed
Also disturbing are attempts Chinese publications – like nations project the ‘soft’ power in a context of respect for the
to silence critical Chinese- China Daily – simply by looking of attraction, of winning the rights of Chinese Australians.
Australian voices. at the attractive liftouts inserted debate. That means this needs to be an
in your copy of the Sydney issue that is seized and owned by
Take the troubling case of Morning Herald, The Age or The We shou ld welcome and the moderate, bipartisan centre
a highly-regarded Sydney Australian Financial Review. indeed facilitate Chinese voices of Australian politics. This way,
academic, Associate Professor in a transparent and evidence- the issue cannot be captured by
Chongyi Feng, from UTS, who To be fair, this is not especially based contest of ideas about this extreme voices or be distorted,
was detained earlier this year in effective propaganda. It may country’s future. misconstrued or falsely
China while on an Australian even be a waste of Chinese portrayed as one of xenophobia.
Research Council-funded visit. government money, given that But a picture is emerging of
these same newspapers continue excessive influence through The Chinese community
Professor Feng has now to publish objective and critical money, censorship and coercion. makes an enormous contribution
explicitly identified his 10-day investigations into Chinese to this nation and is Australia’s
interrogation as being an effort influence-buying. This is neither the soft power greatest asset in engaging with
to, quote: ‘shut me down and set of free expression nor the hard China.
an example to dissenting views But it is disturbing to think power of military force.
and critical voices among the that, in time, the business model Prominent voices in this
Chinese diaspora and beyond’. of Australia’s venerable quality Instead, it is the sharp power community are leading the
press will be propped up by such of intrusive influence. pushback against Communist
This could be read as a funds, and that sooner or later Party orchestration of influence
crude signal of intimidation the directness and incisiveness It undermines the principles – in media, in politics, in society
– telling Chinese Australians of their China reporting may of trust and mutual respect that and on university campuses.
not to criticise Communist become muted. After all, the are meant to inform worthy
party interference in Australian sudden withdrawal of such efforts by both nations to build In our conversations
domestic affairs. funding could become an act of a durable and comprehensive about how to respond to this
leverage and coercion. relationship.
Professor Feng is an important
voice – he demonstrates that it What is more hidden from
is not just Australia’s security the English-speaking Australian
agencies who are concerned public, and more worrying at
about the Chinese Communist this stage for our country as
Party’s interference in Australia’s
domestic affairs.
4 2017 Vision Times Special Edition
It is not ordinary soft power.
Indeed, much of donations were enough for Indeed, much of the worry a whole, is Beijing’s effort to It is vital to underline at this
the worry about the Director-General of the about such influence is within control and shape overseas and all junctures that criticism
such influence is Australian Security Intelligence this country’s diverse Chinese Chinese-language media. of Chinese Communist Party
within this country’s Organisation (ASIO) to take the communities. If, as a nation, we influence is not about ethnicity.
diverse Chinese highly unusual step of directly chose to ignore such concerns, Additionally, the use of WeChat We need to guard against any
communities. If, warning the major parties that we would be effectively treating and Weibo by many Chinese risk of this issue turning into
as a nation, we they and Australia’s national such dissenting voices among speakers in this country means one of suspicion or xenophobia
chose to ignore security could be compromised our Chinese-Australian that the Communist Party directed generally at Australia’s
such concerns, by such donations. population as second-class can censor what they are Chinese communities.
we would be Australians, whose freedom reading without having to own
effectively treating For the head of ASIO to of thought and freedom of Australian-based publications at There needs to be reassurance
such dissenting take such a step suggests he expression do not warrant all. given to Chinese Australians
voices among our was genuinely worried, from a protection. that they are included, welcomed
Chinese-Australian national security and national As respected China scholar and cherished as integral to the
population as interest point of view. That is why it is to the credit John Fitzgerald points out, social and political – as well
second-class of the Australian Government what is exceptional here is as economic – fabric of this
Australians, whose Security agencies cannot take that it made representations not that China is seeking to multicultural nation.
freedom of thought effective action on any of this on the Chongyi Feng case. It is engage with the more than one
and freedom of because it has been entirely legal fair to assume that his release million Australians of Chinese To reiterate, it is vital to
expression do not – all they can do is raise the was in large part a function origin. Engagement with a remember that many Chinese
warrant protection. alarm. of the public outcry about his diaspora community is a normal Australians are anxious about
detention, as well as Australian and healthy thing for any the role of the Chinese party-
It is now up to the political government pressure. He government to do – Ireland does state inside this country.
class to decide whether there is, certainly believes so. it, India does it, Australia does it,
within Australian democracy, China can and should too. What They are also understandably
enough self-respect to function In the media space, there is is extraordinary is the level of worried about the harm the
without money linked to the also cause for concern. Several influence, sometimes manifested actions of a small number may
Chinese Communist Party. This, leading Australia media outlets through intimidation, that the do to the reputation of the
after all, is a massive, secretive, have signed distribution deals Communist Party has over Chinese diaspora here, whether
self-interested and foreign with the Party’s Propaganda Chinese language media in this citizens, permanent residents or
organisation, with interests that Department. country. students.
can sometimes clash directly
with Australia’s. The Australian public can now This is about silencing dissent. So the issue of foreign
enjoy censored and propagandist It is not ordinary soft power. All interference needs to be addressed
Also disturbing are attempts Chinese publications – like nations project the ‘soft’ power in a context of respect for the
to silence critical Chinese- China Daily – simply by looking of attraction, of winning the rights of Chinese Australians.
Australian voices. at the attractive liftouts inserted debate. That means this needs to be an
in your copy of the Sydney issue that is seized and owned by
Take the troubling case of Morning Herald, The Age or The We shou ld welcome and the moderate, bipartisan centre
a highly-regarded Sydney Australian Financial Review. indeed facilitate Chinese voices of Australian politics. This way,
academic, Associate Professor in a transparent and evidence- the issue cannot be captured by
Chongyi Feng, from UTS, who To be fair, this is not especially based contest of ideas about this extreme voices or be distorted,
was detained earlier this year in effective propaganda. It may country’s future. misconstrued or falsely
China while on an Australian even be a waste of Chinese portrayed as one of xenophobia.
Research Council-funded visit. government money, given that But a picture is emerging of
these same newspapers continue excessive influence through The Chinese community
Professor Feng has now to publish objective and critical money, censorship and coercion. makes an enormous contribution
explicitly identified his 10-day investigations into Chinese to this nation and is Australia’s
interrogation as being an effort influence-buying. This is neither the soft power greatest asset in engaging with
to, quote: ‘shut me down and set of free expression nor the hard China.
an example to dissenting views But it is disturbing to think power of military force.
and critical voices among the that, in time, the business model Prominent voices in this
Chinese diaspora and beyond’. of Australia’s venerable quality Instead, it is the sharp power community are leading the
press will be propped up by such of intrusive influence. pushback against Communist
This could be read as a funds, and that sooner or later Party orchestration of influence
crude signal of intimidation the directness and incisiveness It undermines the principles – in media, in politics, in society
– telling Chinese Australians of their China reporting may of trust and mutual respect that and on university campuses.
not to criticise Communist become muted. After all, the are meant to inform worthy
party interference in Australian sudden withdrawal of such efforts by both nations to build In our conversations
domestic affairs. funding could become an act of a durable and comprehensive about how to respond to this
leverage and coercion. relationship.
Professor Feng is an important
voice – he demonstrates that it What is more hidden from
is not just Australia’s security the English-speaking Australian
agencies who are concerned public, and more worrying at
about the Chinese Communist this stage for our country as
Party’s interference in Australia’s
domestic affairs.
4 2017 Vision Times Special Edition
