How spy suspect won visa

ASIO probe into Canberra plot

A CHINESE businessman accused of spying received a permanent residency visa through a Melbourne paintbrush company.

Chung Sheng Chen’s 2010 visa application was rejected because the company, Australian Brushware Corporation, “had not demonstrated that it had a need for the nominated employee within its business in Australia”.

He is the subject of intensive interest in Canberra over allegations that he was involved in a plot to infiltrate the Australian parliament.

The Nine Network reported that the plot involved using former Liberal Party member and car salesman Bo “Nick’’ Zhao, who was found dead this year in a motel room in Melbourne.

Mr Chen, who is believed to no longer be in Australia, has denied to Nine that he was an agent of the Chinese Government.

Court documents show that in 2013, the decision to reject Mr Chen’s visa application was appealed to the Migration Review Tribunal, on the basis the $80 million group of companies including ABC had grown significantly and that Mr Chen, who was on a 457 foreign worker visa at the time, was vital to the company’s further expansion.

Mr Chen was said to have previously worked at a Guandong car building plant in southern China, and in sales and marketing at an Australian phone shop.

This meant he had “experience in manufacturing from his employment in China and also Australia” according to his application.

There appear to have been no concerns raised by immigration authorities, and a permanent visa was granted.

The head of ASIO, Mike Burgess, issued a rare public statement yesterday confirming the domestic spy agency was aware of an alleged Chinese plot to infiltrate parliament and had been “actively investigating”.

The Mercury is not suggesting Mr Chen was an agent of the Chinese Government, only that the allegations are being investigated.

Federal Parliament has resumed for the final sitting fortnight of the year amid a web of intrigue surrounding Chinese spying claims.

A second Chinese national, Wang Liqiang, is seeking asylum in Australia, saying he was a spy for Chinese military intelligence who had defected here.

Mr Wang went to ASIO a year ago with his claims.

Labor has requested a briefing from ASIO about Mr Wang, Mr Chen, and Mr Zhou, whose death in a Mount Waverley motel in March is being investigated by the coroner.

There is no suggestion Mr Chen had any knowledge or involvement in Mr Zhou’s death.

According to Nine, Mr Zhao had told associates Mr Chen wanted him to run for an eastern suburbs seat in the federal parliament.

Labor figures including Senator Kimberley Kitching used the Chinese spy intrigue to up the pressure on Liberal MP Gladys Lui, who failed to declare her membership of a number of Chinese Communist Party-aligned organisations

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia was “not naive to the threats that it faces more broadly”.

“I find the allegations deeply disturbing and troubling and I refer you to the director general [of ASIO’s] statement which said that these matters were already under investigation and those investigations are continuing,’’ he said.