China demands US explain NSA spying allegations
Beijing wants clarification from the US over media reports that Australian embassies were used in NSA spying operation
China is demanding an explanation from the United States after a report in an Australian newspaper said Australian embassies, including the one in Beijing, were being used as part of a US-led spying operation.
The Sydney Morning Herald said on Thursday that the intelligence collection takes place in Australian embassies across Asia, as well as other diplomatic missions, without most Australian diplomats knowing about it.
“China is extremely concerned about this report and demands that the United States offers a clarification and explanation,” China’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a daily news briefing.
“China is extremely concerned about this report and demands that the United States offers a clarification and explanation.”
“We also demand that foreign embassies in China and their staff respect the Vienna Convention ... and other international treaties and not get involved in any activities which do not accord with their status or post and harm China’s security and interests,” she added.
China and Australia had a consensus to increase co-operation, and both viewed the other as a development opportunity, Hua said.
“We hope and expect that Australia can work hard with China in this regard.”
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade declined to comment, saying: “It is the long-standing practice of Australian governments not to comment on intelligence matters”.