The Chinese Government’s propaganda chief, Li Changchun, met with ABC managing director Mark Scott, chairman Maurice Newman and Seven Network chairman Kerry Stokes during a hushed visit to Australia this week.

The Australian’s Cameron Stewart revealed that Li, the fifth ranking member of China’s Politburo, lobbied Mark Scott for the “Chinese Government’s views to be fully represented in ABC reports”.

The Australian: “China Requests Tibet Balance”

In a media statement following the reported meeting, ATC’s Paul Bourke highlighted the double standard behind Li Changchun’s comments:

“On the one hand the Chinese Government is blocking media access to Tibet and using its state-owned media to propagate a one-sided, distorted version of events, on the other hand it is criticising Australian media outlets for failing to provide a full range of views.”

Mr. Bourke also described Li Changchun’s behaviour as “an extraordinary breach of international diplomatic norms”, noting that “free reporting is fundamental to the protection of human rights and safeguarding against atrocities” and “it would be unthinkable for our Government to attempt to influence Chinese journalists, indeed journalists of any country”.

Read ATC’s press release

Li’s visit follows a recent effort by Zhang Junsai, Chinese Ambassador to Australia, to dissuade Government backbencher Michael Danby from addressing an event in Canberra commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the 1959 Tibetan Uprising.

ATC sees these moves as part of a disturbing trend, with an increasingly aggressive China using its economic might to pressure Western powers into backing off in their support for Tibet.

This latest incident has prompted senior journalists including Greg Sheridan, Foreign Editor for The Australian, to ask questions about Chinese influence in Australia.

The Australian: “China’s Iron-Fisted PR”