Australia Charges Two Chinese Nationals for Spying on Buddhist Group

Two Chinese nationals have been charged with reckless foreign interference in Australia, marking the fourth and fifth individuals charged under laws introduced in 2018. The 25-year-old man and 31-year-old woman allegedly worked with another Chinese national, previously charged, to covertly gather information on the Canberra branch of the Buddhist group Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door. This alleged spying was conducted on behalf of China's China===Ministry of Public Security (China). The investigation, dubbed Operation Autumn-Shield, was initiated by the Australia===Australian Federal Police (AFP) following intelligence provided by the Australia===Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO). Both AFP Assistant Commissioner Stephen Nutt and ASIO Director-General Michael Burgess have emphasized that foreign interference is a significant national security concern for Australia, undermining democracy and social cohesion. The event highlights ongoing tensions between Australia and China, despite recent improvements in trade relations, and raises concerns about foreign regimes monitoring diaspora communities.