this post was submitted on 15 May 2024
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Chinese police hunting international corruption targets were allowed into Australia by the federal police and subsequently escorted a woman back to China for trial, in a major breach of Chinese-Australian police protocols.

The revelations, contained in Monday night's Four Corners program about a former Chinese spy, prompted a sharp rebuke from federal politicians who are concerned the act may have undermined Australia's national security.

The Chinese police were permitted to enter Australia in 2019 to talk with a 59-year-old Chinese-born Australian resident.

The woman was targeted under a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) anti-corruption drive called Operation Fox Hunt, which relies on police from the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) to make arrests.

Her case is one of 283 cases documented by an international NGO, Safeguard Defenders, in its recent report, Chasing Fox Hunt.

While Fox Hunt is described by the CCP as targeting "economic criminals", human rights groups have said it is also used to silence dissidents and abduct people around the world.

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[–] Red_October@lemmy.world 210 points 6 months ago (1 children)

"Escort back to China" sure is a weird way of saying they kidnapped her.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 20 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (2 children)

Traditionally, countries will have extradition agreements that facilitate arrest of criminals in flight.

Thanks to break down in relations between China and Western states, it has become increasingly common for Chinese embezzlers and con-artists to flee abroad with cash assets in hopes of evading arrest.

Of course, this works both ways with Australian felony suspects hiding in China to the same effect.

In 2017, the Turnbull government abruptly withdrew from parliament a proposed Chinese extradition treaty following significant backbench discontent.

Since then, the Australian government has resorted to various agreements with MPS and other Chinese security agencies as a means of cooperating with China on criminal matters.

So this becomes an end run for both countries to seek "voluntary" extradition, primarily by threatening potential accomplices and family property in the original country.

And it exists for good reason. You generally don't want your country to become a haven for fraudsters because they'll keep committing fraud in their new country.

Yvette Wang, accused of being an accomplice of exiled and indicted Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui, pleaded guilty in New York last week to defrauding many investors out of over $1 billion in "a complex scheme," prosecutors said.

[–] zephyreks@lemmy.ml 16 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Fraud in China has far worse consequences than fraud in Australia. Even if I were to be arrested, I'd prefer it to happen in Australia where I can get off with a slap on the wrist.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world -1 points 6 months ago (4 children)

Even if I were to be arrested, I’d prefer it to happen in Australia

https://nit.com.au/05-02-2024/9636/roebourne-regional-prison-cells-still-without-air-conditioning-in-extreme-heat

On Monday, as the temperature soared to 43 C in Roebourne, the Service revealed the "distressing outcome" is that prisoners are still living in cells without air-conditioning, in "conditions that could prove fatal from heat stress or heat stroke".

Enjoy yourself, I guess.

[–] Aradina@lemmy.ml 6 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Fraudsters aren't being shipped to a regional prison in one of the most remote areas of the country lol

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 0 points 6 months ago

True. White collar crimes getting the white glove treatment isn't unusual in the West, no matter how many lives are ruined.

[–] nomous@lemmy.world 5 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)
[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world -2 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I’ll take 43C/109F

I would pass on it.

[–] nomous@lemmy.world 5 points 6 months ago (1 children)
[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world -2 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

Oasis agriculture in the Tarim Basin occupies a large part of the population

In the Tarim Basin, July temperatures average about 80 °F (27 °C)

...

After the Cultural Revolution, political and economic policies were moderated, leading to widespread improvement in the livelihood of farmers and pastoralists and to relative stability and economic growth in the region. This was accompanied—especially from the late 1990s—by increased economic investment in Xinjiang, as well as by an influx of Han from other parts of China.

Sounds awful. Enjoy your Australian prison.

[–] nomous@lemmy.world 0 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

And you enjoy your Chinese internment camp, maybe your organs will fetch a nice price for the apparatchik.

Or maybe westerners will look and point drunkenly at your plasticized, dissected body for entertainment.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 1 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

Premier Exhibitions Inc is an Atlanta, Georgia-based company that organizes traveling exhibitions.

The Chinese of Atlanta Georgia?

[–] nomous@lemmy.world 0 points 6 months ago (1 children)

The one I saw was in Las Vegas but every single body was Chinese.

The reality is I'd rather sit in a Aussie prison in 46/115 heat than in a Chinese prison at a nice balmy 25/77.

Do you think the Chinese prison system is a better place than the Australian prison system?

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 0 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I’d rather sit in a Aussie prison in 46/115 heat than in a Chinese prison at a nice balmy 25/77.

I'm sorry if Chinese people make you feel so uncomfortable that you'd rather broil than be near them

[–] nomous@lemmy.world 1 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

I have no issue with Asian people. It's the prison system that's the issue, but you know that and just want to cry racist because claiming the Chinese prison system is preferable is laughable at best, nice try tankie.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 0 points 6 months ago (1 children)

It’s the prison system that’s the issue

The Chinese prison system. Whereas the Australian prison system that kills people with heat stroke isn't a problem, because...

the Chinese prison system is preferable is laughable

Of course. Its doing all the progressive-y policies that big liberal states like California rolled back under the Reagan Era. Rehabilitation, job training, quality health care, and public reintegration are all policies the US system dismantled a generation ago, because it was seen as "Hugs for Thugs" and "Soft on Crime".

[–] nomous@lemmy.world 0 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

You're going to believe whatever you do tankie, the rest of us know reality.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world -1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

believe whatever you do

It helps to base beliefs on sound data and observational evidence.

the rest of us know reality

Shouting "tankie" at your computer monitor is not a sign of strong reality-based reasoning.

[–] nomous@lemmy.world 1 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

I'm the only one that's posted any links to any data or "observational evidence" (tips fedora lol neckbeard). All you've done is vaguely hint at Chinese prisons being preferable to Aussie ones.

I've never really gotten to see one of you in the wild.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 0 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I’m the only one that’s posted any links to any data

Ah, so you're delusional. Cool.

[–] nomous@lemmy.world 1 points 6 months ago

Fascinating.

Ever visted?

[–] TachyonTele@lemm.ee 3 points 6 months ago (1 children)

They're not saying they want to go to prison in Australia. They're saying it would obviously be better than going to prison in freaking China.

I feel like you're a Chinese prison salesman or something.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 0 points 6 months ago (1 children)

They’re not saying they want to go to prison in Australia.

No, they're just hanging their hat on "China Always Worse".

you’re a Chinese prison salesman

That's a sane and logical conclusion

[–] TachyonTele@lemm.ee 2 points 6 months ago

they’re just hanging their hat on “China Always Worse”.

Compared to Australia? Yes, going to prison in China would be worse.

[–] barsquid@lemmy.world 2 points 6 months ago

How much you want to bet that jail has even a single white collar criminal in it exposed to 43 C heat?

[–] TokenBoomer@lemmy.world 1 points 6 months ago

Thanks. That’s what I needed to know.