Australian author and professor of public ethics Clive Hamilton’s new book, Silent Invasion: China’s Influence in Australia, was initially turned down by three publishers citing fears of reprisals from Beijing. Finally published in February 2018, Silent Invasion investigates the ruling Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) influence and interference operations in Australia, the structure of the party’s overseas influence network, and the techniques it uses.
In the book, Hamilton asserts that Australia’s elites, and parts of the country’s large Chinese-Australian diaspora, have been mobilized by Beijing to gain access to politicians, limit academic freedom, intimidate critics, gather information for Chinese intelligence agencies, and organize protests against Australian government policy. He recently spoke with RFA’s Uyghur Service about what he believes are China’s soft power goals in Australia.
