In a historic ruling, a Melbourne court has convicted an Australian businessman for clandestinely collaborating with the Chinese Communist Party – marking the inaugural verdict of this nature under the nation’s foreign influence laws.
Di Sanh Duong, 68, a prominent figure in the Chinese community in Melbourne, was convicted by a jury Tuesday of preparing for or planning an act of foreign interference, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
He is the first person to be convicted under laws introduced by the Australian government in 2018 to counter foreign influence in domestic politics. The legislation, which came after a series of scandals involving Beijing’s alleged attempts to influence Australian politics, deepened tensions with China, the country’s largest trading partner.
Photographs from an event at the hospital on June 2, 2020, show Duong presenting Tudge with a novelty check for 37,450 Australian dollars ($25,000). The money was raised by the Oceania Federation of Chinese Organizations from Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, a Chinese diaspora group headed by Duong.
“Successful prosecutions are key to deterring further attempts to interfere in our democracy. The AFP and prosecutors should continue to enforce the law robustly,” he said.
