In a landmark judgment, an Australian court has found local businessman Di Sanh Duong guilty of planning foreign interference activities, carrying a maximum sentence of ten years in prison. Duong, a prominent figure in Melbourne's Chinese community, became the first individual to be charged under legislation introduced by the Australian government in 2018 to combat foreign interference in domestic politics.
Rising tensions between Australia and its largest trading partner, China, follow a series of scandals surrounding Peking's attempts to influence Australian politics, resulting in heightened apprehensions and strained relations. Duong was indicted in Victoria in 2020, with Victoria County Court confirming on Tuesday that he attempted to influence then-Federal Minister Alan Tudge three years prior by making a substantial donation to the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
Footage from a hospital event on June 2, 2020, shows Duong presenting Tudge with a $37,450 check (approximately $25,000 USD). The funds were collected by the Oceania Federation of Chinese Groups in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, a Chinese diaspora group led by Yang.
The Australian Federal Prosecution alleges that Duong used the donation to curry favor with Tudge. Tudge was not accused of wrongdoing.
During the trial, the prosecution relied on an intercepted phone call between Duong and a colleague in April 2020. The court listened to Duong discussing the value of a relationship with potential future Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
The prosecution argued that Duong, a former Liberal Party of Victoria member, would make an "ideal target" for China's United Front Work Department - a massive organization under the Chinese Communist Party responsible for maintaining ties with elites outside the party, including overseas Chinese communities.
Critics have accused the United Front of orchestrating global foreign interference operations in the service of the Chinese regime for years. Addressing the court, prosecutor Patrick Doyle said, "The main objective of this system is to win friends for the Communist Party of China, including generating sympathy for the party and its policies."
The prosecution also presented evidence of Duong's contacts with Chinese state security agents. In a recorded conversation played before the court, Duong told a colleague: "If I do something, it will never be in the papers, but Beijing will know what I'm doing."
Duong's sentencing is scheduled for next year. After the verdict, CNN requested a statement from Duong's defense lawyer, while the Australian Federal Police welcomed the judgment. Opposition Member James Paterson spoke positively about the verdict as "Australia's first foreign interference case."
The incident underscores the heightened tensions between Australia and China, with potential implications for international affairs and domestic politics.
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