Recently, an Australian news outlet reported that a Chinese-Australian political donor was behind a thwarted foreign interference plot to back political candidates in the next election.
This came after earlier news that a Chinese intelligence agency had been behind the plot unearthed by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation.
Australia has undergone years of what is usually called ‘influence operations’ by China. Generally, all major powers go in for such manoeuvres, the United States (US) being no exception. But it is a concern when this moves into covert activity verging on espionage that the red danger signal comes on.
China has attempted to make inroads into several countries' internal decision-making structures to influence policy-making in its favour.