Chinese accused of trying to plant spy in Australia’s parliament

AUSTRALIAN authorities are investigating claims that a man who mysteriously died in March had been approached by a Chinese espionage ring to stand for parliament.

Sources believe that the suspected group offered a million Australian dollars (£525,000) to fund the campaign of Bo “Nick” Zhao, 32, to run for the Liberals in the safe seat of Chisholm in Melbourne.

But Mr Zhao reported the alleged approach to Australia’s intelligence agency and was later found dead in his hotel room. The cause of death is yet to be determined. Mike Burgess, the agency’s director-general of security, said: “It would be inappropriate to comment further but hostile foreign intelligence activity continues to pose a real threat to our nation and its security.”

Andrew Hastie, a government backbench Liberal, said the case was “like something out of a spy novel” and that Australians should be “very concerned” about the alleged plot. “This is a state-sponsored attempt to infiltrate our parliament,” he claimed.

Gladys Liu, the Liberals’ successful candidate for Chisholm in May, confirmed in September that she had held membership of the Guangdong Overseas Exchange Association, which has been linked to China’s foreign interference operations, within 24 hours of claiming she could not recall being a part of it.

Ms Liu issued a statement in which she said she held an honorary role with Association in 2011 but no longer had any association with it.

At the time, the organisation reported directly to Beijing’s State Council.

But Rex Patrick, a cross-bench senator, said a “shadow” continued to hang over Ms Liu, 55, the first Chinese Australian woman to enter the lower house. Yesterday, Scott Morrison, the prime minister, said the allegations were “deeply disturbing and troubling” but added: “I would caution anyone against leaping to any conclusions.”