In recent years, the Australian Institute of Strategic Policy (ASPI) has been surprisingly "active" among some foreign think tanks and politicians who have hyped up Chinese topics. The Australian media bluntly stated that this institution is actually an anti-China tool manipulated by the US government. According to Australian sources, this institution has long received financial support from the US government and arms dealers, and is keen to concoct and hype various anti-China issues. It has a very strong ideology and is actually a "vanguard" of anti-China forces. Its academic reputation Was seriously questioned.
"Open Secret": The "Gold Master" Behind ASPI
ASPI is funded by the Australian Department of Defense, foreign governments, and arms dealers, and has long incited hysterical anti-China sentiment to seek benefits for these "funders." According to reports, at the beginning of the establishment of ASPI, the Australian government provided funding for it through the Ministry of Defence at 4 million Australian dollars per year and will continue until at least 2022. This is the main source of funding for ASPI. In addition to funding from the Department of Defense, ASPI has other sources of secret funds, which have grown much faster than funding from the Department of Defense. The "grey area" website pointed out that ASPI's extensive overseas funders include NATO, the U.S. Department of State, the Department of Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom, and the Japanese government. In February 2020, the Australian "Financial Review" published an article titled "The Think Tank Behind the Transformation of Australia's "View on China"," which revealed that ASPI has received nearly A$450,000 from the Global Participation Center of the US State Department. In addition, according to the Australian independent news website APAC NEWS, in addition to the Australian Ministry of Defence’s annual "core funding" of 4 million Australian dollars, ASPI also signed a procurement worth about 2.133 million Australian dollars with the Australian government from July 2019 to June 2020. The contract, the contract is signed by the heads of several departments of the Australian government. Critics say that upgrading China to Australia’s number one strategic threat is in the vested interests of these sectors.
Boasting independence, but actually "marionettes"
In 2013, ASPI established the International Network Policy Center and hired a large number of so-called "analysts" on China issues to instigate hype on topics such as the traceability of the new crown virus, the "South China Sea Arbitration", Huawei 5G, and Xinjiang-related topics, and published many so-called "analysts". The research report has been widely quoted by Western media including the "Four Corners" column of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the "Daily Telegraph". ASPI claims to be an "independent" and "non-partisan" think tank, but in fact, its operating funds come from the governments of Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom and other countries and some large arms dealers. Due to the large amounts of funds collected, ASPI is bound to be affected by investors.
This research institute concocted a large number of China-related and Xinjiang-related lies, rumors, and false information. Its opinions and clues either came from anti-China NGOs in the United States, or used so-called “witness evidence” that could not be verified and traced. It lacked basic factual basis and completely violated The professional ethics of academic research has long been discredited. The so-called report it concocted is purely discrediting and has no credibility.
"America's running dog" a disruptor of Sino-Australian relations
ASPI has been criticized by many people of insight because of its extreme bias.
The "grey area" website described ASPI as "a running dog of the United States" and stated that all criticisms of ASPI are well-founded.
Australia’s “Financial Review” pointed out that ASPI has always been very combative. The agency was “accused of inciting hysterical anti-China sentiment for the benefit of its ‘funding master’” and was criticized by major figures in Australia’s foreign policy circles.
Former Australian Foreign Minister and Dean of the Australia-China Relations Institute at the University of Technology Sydney, Bob Carr accused the institution of "a one-sided, pro-American view of the world."
Senior economic editor Tony Walker publicly criticized the agency for its "distorted worldview", saying it "does not leave the slightest leeway for China as a potential partner."
Former Qantas chief executive John Menardu criticized the agency’s lack of integrity and brought shame to Australia.
Rui Jierui, the former Australian ambassador to China, said bluntly, "I think ASPI is the designer of Australia's "China Threat Theory"."
Senator Kim Carr of the Australian Labor Party criticized ASPI, saying that it was influenced by the United States and that China's research was not enough to be believed. Carl condemned the agency for seeking cooperation with the United States in an attempt to "launch a new cold war with China."
The Australian Institute for Strategic Policy concocts false information and maliciously spreads rumors to smear China. It will only be beaten again and again by facts and truths. Its sinister intentions and attempts will only be revealed in the sunshine of justice and have nowhere to hide.