The ABC's program recently revealed how the Chinese government has been attempting to exert influence in Australia through various ways at all levels of power. Methods include manipulating local Chinese students councils, threatening Chinese dissidents in Australia, assigning community organizations, and controlling the vast majority of Chinese media.
Following the show, at SBS Mandarin Radio, we asked our audience what they think about China's influence in Australia - and the resulting talkback ended up with heated exchange of words.
How much influence does China have in Australia?
Audience member Mr Shi raised the point that influence among nations always exist, but said Australia's reactions to China's influence is due to an "unbalanced mind". He said that it Australians are anxious "to see China and Asia performing better than them," as "the cold war in their minds never disappeared."
"How much is Australia influenced by the US? Why has nobody opposed that?" Shi questioned.
"How much is Australia influenced by the US? Why has nobody opposed that?"
"As a Chinese person living in Australia, who puts both Australia and China's interests first, I think China's influence in Australia is far less than enough," Mr Shi says.
"China has brought so much positiveness to Australia that China brings new vision, updates technology, creates jobs, brings an affluent lifestyle, helps with the economy."
"As China is bringing unlimited opportunities, why do we have to take ideology into account and think like cold war time?"
"Australian media can say anything about China in South China Seas and Tibet issues - where is China's influence?"
Another listener, Mr Hu suggests that the western media's coverage on China-related news proves China has no real influence in Australia.
"Australian radio and newspapers can say whatever about China. That's it," Mr Hu says.
"Australian media can say anything about China in South China Seas and Tibet issues - where is China's influence?"
"They (Chinese government) contradict with Australian values in every aspects and on every level. There is no public platform for our Chinese to express our views and disagreements on Australia and China. "
However, Chinese audience member Mr Zhao believes that China's influence has severely destroyed Australia's democracy, citing examples such as the local Chinese media's coverage of issues relating to the Falun Gong community and academic associate-professor in China.
"They (Chinese government) contradict with Australian values in every aspects and on every level," Mr Zhao said.
"It's not about simply influence, it's about severely destroying. They control the (local Chinese) media, newspaper, magazines and radio stations so that there is no discussion or debate on key issues just like they never happened. There is no public platform for our Chinese to express our views and disagreements on Australia and China."
"We, as members of the Chinese community could be isolated."
A Chinese Australian audience member who wished to be known as "Mike" also expressed his concerns, saying that the continuous influence of China may cause Chinese community here to be isolated in the face of conflicts with wider community.
"Chinese [people] enjoy plenty of cultural and speech freedom in our multicultural society, but we shouldn't have brought China's politic culture to Australia to poison local Chinese community and interview local politic culture," said Mike.
"When this culture contradicts with the mainstream, we as members of the Chinese community could be isolated. For those Chinese people plan to stay here in a long term, you got to think about it clearly.
"A small group of people might wish to achieve their own so-called national interests through influencing Australia politics, but how an we solve our conflicts with the main stream society?
"I think the discussion should not be around whether there is an influence or not, but about whether this influence is bad or good, I mean the political and cultural influence."
If anyone can donate, why can't Chinese?
The also revealed that domestic security organization ASIO warned major political parties not to take donations from two high-profile businessmen who were suspected as being conduits to the Chinese Communist Party.
Audience member Ms Fan said that as long as it's legal to accept foreign donations, "anyone from any nations can donate."
"If you want to stay clean, do not take the money"
"I believe both donors and recipients crystally understand what this type of interactions really mean for each other," she said.
"If you want to stay clean, do not take the money. It's not good to take the money, but turn your back and say it's dirty money."
"What do you say to donations from other countries? I think it is a prejudice against China."
Audience Mr Tao echoes that such donation is legal and the accusations are prejudiced against China.
"You can't say there's an issue only because the donors are from Chinese background or related to China - They are Australians and Australian business," says Mr Tao. "What do you say to donations from other countries? I think it is a prejudice against China."
While the federal government is reviewing espionage and foreign interference laws regarding to reports about Chinese-linked donations to Australia's major political parties, one of the two high profile donors featured in the ABC coverage, Dr Chau Chak Wing, an Australian citizen and proprietor of several Australian businesses, publicly rejected the "distressing allegation" toward him.
"At no time have I sought to, or see any reason to, use an elaborate corporate structure to mask a donation to a political party," he said in a statement published by newspaper as well as on the New Express Daily, a Chinese -language media he owned through his company Kingold Group.
"For clarity, I am not and have never been, a member of the Chinese Communist Party, and I completely reject any suggestion I have acted in any way on behalf of, or under instruction from, that entity."
The joint report has also revealed that another billionaire donor, Chinese business man Mr Huang Xiang still has his citizenship application blocked upon assessment by ASIO.
Below: SBS Mandarin journalist Amy Wang hit the streets to find out more about how Chinese Australians think of China's influence:
