In late 2018 Australian registered charity, China Matters, sponsored and hosted two Australian Members of Parliament in Beijing, which included an introduction to meet with Dr Wang Huiyao, Standing Director of China’s Ministry of United Front Work Department (UFWD). As it turned out the meeting with Wang did not take place as he was unavailable. In his place, Dr Miao Lu, co-founder and Secretary General of Wang’s think tank Centre for China and Globalization (CCG) did attend.
It is useful to understand the history behind, and nature of, the UFWD to better understand why any meeting with Wang or his acolytes is significant.
The history of the UFWD can be traced back to the Chinese Civil War (1945-1949), but has been re-energized by President Xi Jinping who has elevated and expanded their activities. Xi recently referred to UFWD as “an important magic weapon for the party’s victory”, to co-opt Chinese diaspora communities, build relationships with Western enablers, and “make the foreign serve” the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its goals.
The important and secretive agency of the Central Committee of the CCP, public references to UFWD and its activities are scarce. It was therefore surprising to find a January 2019 Global Times article titled “Islamic communities urged to uphold sinicization, improve political stance”; which states the need for Islamic communities in China to “uphold the sinicization of their religion by improving their political stance and following the Party's leadership.”
This gives us some idea, from official Chinese media, of who the UFWD are and what their mission is.
In addition to his position with UFWD Wang is President of the Beijing based think tank CCG. Its objective is to “strengthen China’s soft power and international influence”, an objective complementary to the mission of the UFWD. CCG also claims to be independent and internationally listed. However as the Hudson Institute’s Senior Fellow Jonas Parello-Plesner warns in his 2018 article The Curious Case of Mr. Wang and the United Front, think tank listings “should exclude completely state-run entities, or at a minimum include a warning sticker.”
So it is surprising that China Matters invited two Australian politicians to participate in a roundtable with Wang’s think tank, only informing them that it would be to discuss “China’s international outlook”, as the then federal shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen MP notes on his website. It is worth noting Andrew Parker, Sydney based partner at PwC and board director at China Matters attended along with founder of China Matters Linda Jakobson.
Opportunity lost
It was widely known before this meeting, from numerous Australian investigative reports, that Wang, or his Secretary General Dr Lu, would have been uniquely placed to discuss documented examples of Beijing-linked political donors buying access and influence, Australian universities being co-opted as “propaganda vehicles,” and Australian-funded scientific research being diverted to aid the modernization of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). We don’t know if any of these specific issues were raised.
It was precisely because of these concerns that the Australian Parliament passed the foreign interference laws in early 2018 (prior to this meeting), championed by then Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
Less than a year later, politicians are being sponsored and paid for by an Australian charity to attend meetings in Beijing with a powerful Chinese Communist Party and UFWD director.
Charity?
China Matters is registered as a charity, with all the rights, benefits and obligations that status affords charitable organisations in Australia. Its Constitution states that the “Objects for which the Company are established are: to engage in activities to encourage a more informed, balanced and realistic public discourse about China and its implications for Australia, targeting a broad audience of educated citizens – businesses, government agencies, universities and schools.”
ADM provided a right of reply to the CEO of China Matters, Alistair Nicholas. Mr Nicholas did not directly reply to the question of how China Matters operates as a charitable organization and how it is for the public benefit. He simply referred us to the report provided to the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC).
When asked whether China Matters were aware of Dr Wang Huiyao's position with the United Front Work Department prior to establishing the meeting, CEO Alistair Nicholas replied:
"We are, however, well aware that individuals we engage with may have roles or affiliations within the structure of the Communist Party of China (CPC) - that is the nature of the PRC's political system. It is important that we engage with and try to understand these individuals and the way they see the world and Australia, otherwise we cannot understand the PRC."
One could argue that it is abundantly clear as to how the UFWD views the world, the background and stated mission of their organisation is there for all to see. The question should be, is it in the public benefit for a registered Australian charity to be footing the bill and brokering meetings with United Front leaders?
It may be time for Australia to begin a debate about what constitutes a charitable organisation.