June 07, 2005

THE federal Government should provide a temporary visa to Chinese diplomat Chen Yonglin and his wife and daughter while his claims are assessed. Under no circumstances should they be forced to return to China without their case being heard. Whatever happens to Mr Chen and his family, the Australian public should be fully informed so that justice can be seen to be done. Mr Chen came to Australia as a diplomat in August, 2001. He now wants to defect. He says part of his duties was to keep tabs on various groups the Chinese Government does not like, including the Falun Gong movement in Australia, and those seeking independence for Taiwan, Tibet and East Turkistan. Mr Chen says that he has become progressively more disillusioned with the Government in Beijing and can no longer tolerate or support its persecution of dissidents. While Mr Chen's charges are untested, they cannot be too easily dismissed. We must not forget that while China is a friendly trading partner, it remains a harsh authoritarian state that brooks no political dissent.

Mr Chen has made disturbing allegations at three levels. He has said that Beijing engages in espionage in Australia. This is consistent with a series of exclusive stories in The Australian last week that indicated the Australian Security Intelligence Organization had beefed up its counter-espionage section to deal with increased Chinese spying. Mr Chen further says that the Chinese Government spies on and interferes with Chinese community groups in Australia. If true, this affronts Australian values and probably Australian law. It deserves the closest investigation. And finally Mr Chen alleges that Chinese diplomatic establishments in Australia were involved in the kidnap of the son of a fugitive Chinese official. There is no need to give this most serious allegation any initial credence in order to demand it is fully investigated. In all this, we support good relations with China. This does not require us to abandon political values such as liberty and human rights.

Australian officialdom's dealing with Mr Chen are baffling and disturbing. According to Mr Chen, Immigration Department officials rang his diplomatic bosses to establish his identity. In Mr Chen's view this put him at great risk. Similarly it is bizarre that some agency of the Government has not debriefed Mr Chen at length. Finally, the law that says an asylum-seeker may not publicize his views without prejudicing his asylum claims is revealed as deeply anti-democratic and unacceptable.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,15530806%255E7583,00.html