The federal government in August
As well as universities, the wide-ranging inquiry will investigate publicly funded research and grants to determine if information that could threaten the national interest is being transferred to other countries.
Acting Immigration Minister Alan Tudge on Friday warned that foreign interference in Australia was "at an unprecedented high" and that ".
While he didn't name the countries responsible, he said the inquiry was the latest government attempt to tackle spiralling foreign interference now at “levels not seen since the Second World War”.
It comes amid escalating tensions between Canberra and Beijing, which has flared up over the past week after was arrested in China.
Melbourne resident Meng Li was employed as an IT engineer for Chinese internet company Sina before immigrating to Australia in 2003.
The Sina forum was a platform used by Chinese netizens to express their views around the turn of the century, before the establishment of WeChat, Weibo, and other social media platforms.
Speaking exclusively to SBS Mandarin, Mr Li said part of his work at Sina was to "monitor dissident speech" on forums, delete posts, and report user IP addresses to the Ministry of State Security, China’s top intelligence and security agency.
“All posts containing keywords would be clearly highlighted and censored," he said.
"If there was a severe problem, it would be reported to the Ministry of State Security.
“At that time, on average every week to two weeks, officers from the Ministry of State Security came to inspect the situation.”
Mr Li said he knew very well that "brainwashing and strict speech control are very effective for the government to influence and control the Chinese people, and it is difficult for Western governments to retaliate".
He cites this threat as the main reason why he believes the Morrison government should be “as strong as possible” on the issue of foreign interference.
"The harsher the better, even at my personal cost," Mr Li said, referring to the potential for an increase in racial discrimination against the Chinese community as a result of the probe.
Mr Li said he wrote to Australian intelligence agencies on three occasions in 2020 to advise them about the threat that social media platforms WeChat and TikTok posed to Australian society.
He said Australia has allowed him to appreciate freedom of speech.
"Through nearly 20 years of life in Australia, I have learned the most profound cultural values of Australia, faithful, loving life, which is different from that of China."
Dr William Lin, president of the Melbourne Taiwanese Association, also welcomed the government's probe.
He accused China of “trying to make other countries obedient through dollar diplomacy”.
Amid the tensions between the two countries, Adam Ni, director of the China Policy Centre and editor of The China Story, said he held concerns for the safety and welfare of Chinese Australians.
“Chinese Australians are a group caught in the middle. They might be regarded by both countries as seeking benefits from the other.”
He said he was also concerned over a recent which laid bare the "shocking" incidents of anti-Asian racism around Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr Tudge said the pandemic has caused the government to reconsider the need to improve social cohesion, particularly in the delivery and outcomes of its program providing free English-language tuition for migrants.
Labor's spokesman on Multicultural Affairs Andrew Giles said he would like to see an anti-racism strategy form part of the government's policy on social cohesion.
Mr Ni expressed scepticism over the probe into foreign interference in universities.
Minister for Cities Alan Tudge at a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra. Source: AAP
He acknowledged that it is the responsibility of any sovereign government to ensure its citizens are free from foreign interference, but he is concerned that the issue risks becoming “highly politicised”.
"Political media and analysts have described [foreign] interference as a very common threat," he said.
"Perhaps this threat has been overstated."
A stated that China has dozens of talent recruitment sites in Australia, which obtain technology through illegal or obscure means, most of which are related to Chinese scholars, associations and universities.
“I think the technical collaboration between Australian researchers and their Chinese counterparts is beneficial to Australia," Mr Ni said.
"We cannot view Australia-China relations as either good or evil," he added, affirming that "Australia should think deeply about" it's part in how to better the relations.
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