China’s Foreign Ministry has escalated its attacks on Australia, accusing the Federal Government of conducting espionage in China and calling tabloid claims of Australian spying the “tip of the iceberg”.
Key points:
- China has thrown weight behind state media reports on alleged Australian spying
- A Chinese tabloid says authorities busted an Australian spying operation two years ago
- China’s Foreign Ministry said Australia “[plays] the part of the victim” and peddles rumours
Yesterday, the Chinese Government-owned Global Times published a story alleging that Chinese authorities had disrupted an Australian spy operation two years ago.
The nationalistic paper also posted pictures of items which it said had been seized, including cash, a compass and a map of Shanghai.
Australian government officials ridiculed the claims in private, while Prime Minister Scott Morrison dismissed questions about the article by saying: “I wouldn’t be relying on Chinese state media for your sources.”
But late yesterday, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian threw the Government’s weight behind the Global