703
submitted 2 weeks ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/world@lemmy.world

Chinese police hunting international corruption targets were allowed into Australia by the federal police and subsequently escorted a woman back to China for trial, in a major breach of Chinese-Australian police protocols.

The revelations, contained in Monday night's Four Corners program about a former Chinese spy, prompted a sharp rebuke from federal politicians who are concerned the act may have undermined Australia's national security.

The Chinese police were permitted to enter Australia in 2019 to talk with a 59-year-old Chinese-born Australian resident.

The woman was targeted under a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) anti-corruption drive called Operation Fox Hunt, which relies on police from the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) to make arrests.

Her case is one of 283 cases documented by an international NGO, Safeguard Defenders, in its recent report, Chasing Fox Hunt.

While Fox Hunt is described by the CCP as targeting "economic criminals", human rights groups have said it is also used to silence dissidents and abduct people around the world.

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[-] Hobbes_Dent@lemmy.world 214 points 2 weeks ago

Can't speak for Australians, but as a Canadian who expects that the same could happen here - why the fuck are our governments so apathetic about this shit?.

Stand up for the people trusting you. Be MAD. Stop doing it if you're also doing it.

[-] kungen@feddit.nu 144 points 2 weeks ago

Even the article is apathetic... they write "escorted" her back to China, when it'd actually be "kidnapped" or "abducted"...?

[-] Wanderer@lemm.ee 63 points 2 weeks ago

In the UK there was a peaceful protester and the Chinese dragged him into the embassy grounds and beat him in front of the public. They have diplomatic immunity.

Nothing was done obviously.

No wonder China and Russia shit over us and act like we are weak. We are. We proved it multiple times.

Fuck the West is shadow of what it once was.

[-] ArmokGoB@lemmy.dbzer0.com 12 points 2 weeks ago

I think this is what molotov cocktails were made for.

load more comments (7 replies)
load more comments (6 replies)
[-] Hupf@feddit.de 16 points 2 weeks ago

I cannot not read this in Cave Johnson's voice.

[-] AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago

I didn't read it that way the first time, but yep. J. K. Simmons energy all over that comment.

load more comments (1 replies)
[-] Red_October@lemmy.world 210 points 2 weeks ago

"Escort back to China" sure is a weird way of saying they kidnapped her.

[-] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 21 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Traditionally, countries will have extradition agreements that facilitate arrest of criminals in flight.

Thanks to break down in relations between China and Western states, it has become increasingly common for Chinese embezzlers and con-artists to flee abroad with cash assets in hopes of evading arrest.

Of course, this works both ways with Australian felony suspects hiding in China to the same effect.

In 2017, the Turnbull government abruptly withdrew from parliament a proposed Chinese extradition treaty following significant backbench discontent.

Since then, the Australian government has resorted to various agreements with MPS and other Chinese security agencies as a means of cooperating with China on criminal matters.

So this becomes an end run for both countries to seek "voluntary" extradition, primarily by threatening potential accomplices and family property in the original country.

And it exists for good reason. You generally don't want your country to become a haven for fraudsters because they'll keep committing fraud in their new country.

Yvette Wang, accused of being an accomplice of exiled and indicted Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui, pleaded guilty in New York last week to defrauding many investors out of over $1 billion in "a complex scheme," prosecutors said.

[-] zephyreks@lemmy.ml 16 points 2 weeks ago

Fraud in China has far worse consequences than fraud in Australia. Even if I were to be arrested, I'd prefer it to happen in Australia where I can get off with a slap on the wrist.

load more comments (22 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
[-] Aurenkin@sh.itjust.works 118 points 2 weeks ago

Ok so now we will not allow Chinese police into Australia right?

insert Anakin and Padme meme

[-] Nurse_Robot@lemmy.world 67 points 2 weeks ago

China being China, this shit has been going on for decades

[-] GreatAlbatross@feddit.uk 60 points 2 weeks ago

I can't see how anyone involved with allowing this isn't complicit.
What possible reason did the police of a foreign nation need to be physically there for, other than physically removing someone?

[-] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Ms Wang's whereabouts are unknown. She may still be in China or she may have faced trial and since returned to Australia, as have some of the 16 Australian-based Fox Hunt targets who returned to China since 2014 to face trials there.

It looks like it's been catch-and-release once the Chinese embezzler returns enough stolen money.

As criminal prosection goes, that's incredibly cushy. Far nicer than what a drug importer would expect.

And it appears to be reciprocal, as Australians are known to flee to China to evade arrest as well.

load more comments (2 replies)
[-] CosmoNova@lemmy.world 34 points 2 weeks ago

I think this is what the surprised Pikachu meme was created for.

[-] TheEighthDoctor@lemmy.world 26 points 2 weeks ago

They do it because they can and there are no consequences, it's not the wolf's fault for eating the sheep, its the shepherd who left the door open.

[-] Decoy321@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago

Nah it's still the wolf's fault, even when the shepherd is terrible. Take the wolf out of the equation, and the sheep live regardless of the shepherd's capabilities.

load more comments (6 replies)
[-] CoffeeJunkie@lemmy.world 22 points 2 weeks ago

Chinese Communist Party's....anti-corruption drive. Next up, we've got prostitutes fucking for virginity. 🤪

[-] randint@lemmy.frozeninferno.xyz 14 points 2 weeks ago

Kinda glad where I live there's absolutely no way our government would allow CCP police to reach me. (unless the CCP police goes undercover and kidnaps me)

[-] index@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 weeks ago
[-] AeonFelis@lemmy.world 10 points 2 weeks ago

If they talk about the USA - then yes. Not because the government loves its citizens and respects their rights - simply because it hates China.

[-] dumblederp@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago

USA doesn't pay enough attention. A few CCP spies with a van and a blackjack could grab someone in USA 100% and you're deluded if you think otherwise.

[-] index@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 weeks ago

Still If there's someone they need in china they would probably trade you over

load more comments (1 replies)
[-] randint@lemmy.frozeninferno.xyz 3 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Pretty sure there's no way my government would allow it. Sure, secretly kidnapping me might not be too difficult, but my government would never officially give permission to the CCP police to have a talk with me (as the Australian govt. did in this article). I live in Taiwan btw.

[-] Treczoks@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago

There must have been some kind of cooperation, Australia has custom offices and border controls at airports and harbours. They won't let her out without looking at her passport, etc.

[-] x0chi@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago

Read the news better..

load more comments (1 replies)
[-] GiddyGap@lemm.ee 3 points 2 weeks ago

Why the heck would Australia even allow Chinese police on their soil? Isn't this usually done by requesting extradition? Makes no sense.

load more comments
view more: next ›
this post was submitted on 15 May 2024
703 points (98.1% liked)

World News

36865 readers
2553 users here now

A community for discussing events around the World

Rules:

We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.

All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.


Lemmy World Partners

News !news@lemmy.world

Politics !politics@lemmy.world

World Politics !globalpolitics@lemmy.world


Recommendations

For Firefox users, there is media bias / propaganda / fact check plugin.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/media-bias-fact-check/

founded 11 months ago
MODERATORS