China's bombshell claim over Australia's 'shoddy' move

Antagonistic Chinese state media publication the Global Times says a source claims there is evidence Australia and its Five Eyes counterparts are fabricating evidence of China infiltrating Western politics.

In what it says is an exclusive, the Beijing mouthpiece claims the US, Canada, the UK, New Zealand and Australia are striving to "tarnish China's image in the world".

"The source told the Global Times that intelligence agencies in the Five Eyes wilfully interrogate and harass Chinese students and scholars on questionable or no grounds at all. Some even approach Chinese communities and pressure them to become agents for the Eyes," it said.

In March, China's foreign ministry lamented the questioning of a Chinese student at Sydney Airport which led to entry into the country being denied.

China has long criticised Australia and the US's alliance. Source: Getty/ AAP
China has long criticised Australia and the US's alliance. Source: Getty/ AAP

The unnamed source instead pointed the finger at Five Eyes nations, who it says are "meddling in the internal affairs of China".

"In Hong Kong, the consulates of these countries have become the headquarters and command of interference and subversion where their consular officials reached out to anti-China forces and separatists to incite violence by providing financial support and training," the source reportedly said.

China has long rejected Australia's vocal stance on Hong Kong, as well as other matters it deems internal including Xinjiang and Taiwan.

The Global Times pointed to Australia's failure to unearth wrongful behaviour when NSW Labor MP Shaoquett Moselmane's home was raided over fears his office had been infiltrated by Chinese government agents.

A Global Times cartoon depicting the Five Eyes nations led by the US. Source: Global Times
A Global Times cartoon depicting the Five Eyes nations led by the US. Source: Global Times

"The alliance has been obsessed with making up cases of China's "espionage" and "infiltration" merely based on shoddy intelligence," the publication said.

Wide-ranging article unloads on Five Eyes nations

The lengthy and scathing article went on to suggest the intelligence alliance of Five Eyes, which the Global Times has dubbed an "anti-China club", was ramping up its cyber attacks – an act the West has accused Beijing of.

It went on to highlight wars in the Middle East, accusing Five Eyes nations of human rights abuses, pointing to the Brereton report and misconduct from Australian soldiers in Afghanistan.

And it once again took aim at Canberra over its treatment of Indigenous Australians.

"Turning their eyes and dirty hands to other countries, the five countries have shown no interest in getting their own house in order," it said.

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