China's soft power plays aren't new to Australia, but have they shifted up a gear?

Updated

The Chinese consulate is accused of trying to thwart the activities of Chinese Australian organisations. This is how representatives of the Chinese diaspora respond.

There are around 600,000 international students in Australia and 175,000 are from China and Hong Kong. That puts the Chinese Government in a very good position to leverage their soft power through their students and their young professionals.

William Zhao's parents are both members of the Communist Party of China, and he used to be a member of the party's youth league.

He says if he had stayed in China it is likely he would have joined the Communist Party and become a public servant — something his father wanted him to do.

William concedes the way the Chinese Government runs the Asian superpower isn't best practice, but he thinks it is necessary for economic growth.

He adds that Western practices cannot be applied to China and that the Western media does not give Chinese authorities a fair go.

William graduated from the University of Sydney last year with a Master of Commerce in Banking.

At university he was the national vice president of the Council of International Students Australia (CISA).

In his student representative role he had regular contact with the Chinese consulate. William characterises his contact with the consulate as personal and informal.

William says exchanging information with the Chinese consulate about students isn't spying, but is transparent and necessary.

Many people call Falun Gong practitioners social activists because they believe that what they say reveals social injustice in China. I am sceptical of these claims because when you dig into the fliers, it's difficult to verify what they are actually claiming.

Xi Chen is a 23-year-old Chinese woman studying Asian studies and digital cultures at the University of Sydney.

Her parents in China are both members of the Communist Party of China but she also had relatives jailed during Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution.

Xi thinks that territorial disputes in the South China Sea are perceived by the Western media as simply power plays, but that actually the problem is one of Chinese sovereignty.

She says there is a distinct anti-China agenda emanating from the Western media.

In relation to human rights, Xi doesn't defend China but says that American interrogation methods have also come under scrutiny.

She says that some groups in China such as the LGBTI community may need assistance in protecting their human rights.

Xi says she is unsure how she feels about potentially criticising the Communist Party of China, because she has not found anything that could warrant criticism.

Based on her experience socialising in Chinese student associations, Xi says she can't imagine anyone speaking out against the Communist Party.

China and the West have different approaches when it comes to human rights. In the West there's a huge emphasis on individual rights whereas in China the collective is made a priority. Because of this some people might find themselves having their human rights violated.

Sheryn Li is an Australian born woman from a Chinese family and says she can be critical of the Communist regime.

She is a member of the Australian-Chinese Cultural Appreciation Society, known as "chopsticks" for short.

Sheryn says the group doesn't often discuss politics, but that amongst those involved there is a willingness to criticise the Chinese Government.

In relation to controlling what the group talks about, Sheryn says it would be very difficult for anyone outside the group to be influential. She notes that Chinese international student exclusive societies may have a different experience with freedom of expression.

Sheryn says her friends regularly criticise political parties and she views this as constructive as long as it is not insulting.

She is currently completing a university degree.

Invisible power makes us feel fear. I have to go back to China to see my parents. If I was walking on the streets in China and someone doesn't like me, they can make something happen like an accident and put me in jail.

JP Cheng was the president of the Chinese Professionals Club of Australia.

The club socialised and networked. Each year, around the time of the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, they would reflect on life in their home country.

In 2008 JP was asked to provide a list of the group's members to the Chinese consulate and he refused.

Following JP's refusal, he says pro-Beijing people stacked the annual general meeting, became members and took control of the club. They introduced new rules that included not talking about issues deemed to be sensitive such as the Tiananmen Square massacre.

JP left the club and almost a decade later helped form a new Chinese Australian group called Australian Values Alliance.

That group set up a successful petition against proposed concerts in honour of Mao Zedong in Sydney and Melbourne.

But just recently JP says there's been an attempt to infiltrate his new group.

To hear Hagar Cohen's full investigation into Chinese soft power plays, subscribe to the Background Briefing podcast on iTunes, ABC Radio or your favourite podcasting app.

Topics: world-politics, money-and-monetary-policy, university-and-further-education, australia, china

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