ASIO raids in Canberra have allegedly uncovered sensitive government files in the home of a high-profile Chinese socialite and her Australian husband, a former high-ranking intelligence official.

A Fairfax Media and Four Corners investigation reports the raid targeted Sheri Yan and her husband, former Australian diplomat Roger Uren, over allegations she was involved in operations for the Chinese Communist Party.

The raid occurred in October 2015 as Ms Yan was simultaneously arrested by the FBI in New York for bribing a senior United Nations official.

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She was jailed last year after pleading guilty to the bribery charges.

It’s reported the documents allegedly found in her home detailed the activities of Chinese intelligence services.

Mr Uren is suspected of removing them from his former workplace, the Office of National Assessments, before he left the agency in August 2001.

The agency briefs the Prime Minister on intelligence matters.

Mr Uren was the Assistant Secretary responsible for the Asia section of the office.

Australian Defence Minister Marise Payne said this morning she did not believe China was threatening Australia’s sovereignty.

“But we are very conscious of the efforts of external actors around the world and we have seen other examples of this in recent times,” Ms Payne told ABC radio.

Australia’s top cop Andrew Colvin made similar comments last week, saying it would be “naive” to think the nation’s federal elections could not be disrupted by an outside power in the way US politicians feared the American presidential election was targeted by Russia.

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