Turnbull will ‘stand up’ for Australia after China criticism

SYDNEY: Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has said he will ‘ stand up’ for Australia, brushing aside Chinese criticism of new foreign interference laws as fears rise of overseas meddling in domestic institutions.

Canberra has announced the wide-ranging reforms to espionage and foreign interference legislation, with Attorney General George Brandis saying such as meddling was an “extremely serious problem”.

Turnbull himself has singled out China as a focus of concern, citing “disturbing reports” about Beijing’s influence.

The proposed reforms drew a furious response from China.

Beijing on Friday also lodged an official protest with Canberra, saying the government should “immediately stop making wrong remarks” that would undermine trust and cooperation between the two countries.

But Turnbull hit back Saturday, saying he was just defending Australian sovereignty.

“Modern China was founded in 1949 with these words — ‘ the Chinese people have stood up’,” Turnbull told reporters, speaking in English and Mandarin. “It was an assertion of sovereignty, it was an assertion of pride. And we stand up, and so we said, ‘the Australian people stand up’.”

He added: “In China, Chinese people stand up to their sovereignty, and they expect Australian people and particularly Australian leaders to stand up for theirs.”

Labor MP Sam Dastyari was forced to resign as deputy opposition whip in late November after reports he told a Chinese businessman, a prominent Chinese political donor, that his phone was likely being tapped by intelligence agencies. — AFP