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SYDNEY: Australia’s security agencies acted on the basis of evidence related to a foreign interference investigation when a raid on Chinese journalists was carried out in Australia in June, the country’s trade minister said on Friday (September 11). .
The incident, which involved four journalists from Chinese state media, was revealed by the Chinese Foreign Ministry this week, after two Australian journalists left China after being questioned by Chinese police.
Relations between Australia and top trading partner China are at a weak point after Beijing became angered by Canberra’s call for an investigation into the origins of COVID-19, responding with trade retaliation, and Australia tightened testing of national security for foreign investment.
READ: Australia faces China in high-risk strategy
Trade Minister Simon Birmingham said Australian security agencies had acted in accordance with the law.
“We are responding appropriately to any foreign interference concerns that arise in Australia,” he told ABC News Breakfast television when asked about the incident.
“We do it purely in relation to the evidence,” he added.
Birmingham denied suggestions that the June raid had prompted retaliation from Beijing, imposing exit bans on journalists from the Australian Broadcasting Corp and the Australian Financial Review newspaper in China last week, and on the couple seeking protection. consular.
China has accused the Australian embassy of obstructing the application of the law when it protected the two journalists who were wanted for questioning in the country and returned to Australia this week.
Birmingham denied it, saying that Australian embassy officials had followed China’s processes for negotiating an outcome.
“The embassy diligently engaged to ensure the safety of the two individuals involved, but also engaged in cooperation with Chinese officials to ensure resolution of the matter, which included the opportunity for the Chinese authorities to interview the individuals involved,” he said to ABC radio.
Another Australian citizen, Chinese television host Cheng Lei, was detained by Chinese authorities in August.
