Photo: FM

The exposed spy activities conducted by the Australian side, including the establishment of an intelligence station, spying on the Chinese embassy in Australia, and Australian diplomats engaging in espionage activities, are just the "tip of the iceberg" of the country's espionage offensive against China, said China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson. 

Zhao Lijian added that the intelligence cooperation of the "Five Eyes" alliance has long violated the rules of international relations, and has included large-scale, organized, and indiscriminate network eavesdropping, monitoring of foreign governments, enterprises and personnel. "This is a universally known fact," said Zhao. 

As an important member of the alliance, Australia has always been keen to carry out intelligence activities in the countries concerned. The situation that has been disclosed this time is probably just the tip of the iceberg, said Zhao. 

Zhao made the remarks after the Global Times published an exclusive report saying that Australia is waging an intensifying espionage offensive against China - sending agents to China to spy, gather intelligence and recruit assets, instigating defection among Chinese nationals, spying on Chinese students and organizations in Australia, feeding fake news to media to hype up the "China espionage theory" and in the early years even attempting to install wiretaps in the Chinese Embassy in Canberra. 

For a long time, people and media in Australia have been keen to hype the "Chinese infiltration theory" and "China espionage theory," but have never backed up their claims with solid evidence, said Zhao. He decried the fact that Australia, on the one hand, steals other countries' data and information at will, while on the other hand, fabricates rumors to make itself out to be a victim, revealing that the country has crossed the bottom line, and owes the Chinese people and the world an explanation. 

According to Zhao, China has unswervingly pursued the path of peaceful development, and unswervingly pursued a mutually beneficial and win-win strategy for opening to the outside world.

China has no need or interest in interfering in other countries' internal affairs, said Zhao, noting that at the same time, the Chinese government's determination to safeguard its national sovereignty, security and development interests is unswerving, as is its determination to oppose any external forces that interfere in China's internal affairs. 

Zhao urged some people in Australia to abandon their Cold War mentality and ideological prejudice and contribute more positive energy to the promotion of world peace, stability, mutual trust and cooperation between countries.