Key words:
Christopher Pyne, Ausgrid, National Democratic Institute, American Agent,
foreign interference, Hong Kong, contain China’s influence.
The Australian Government continue to deny anti-Chinese
sentiment motivated the government to block foreign investment in Ausgrid (NSW’s
electricity network), but there is possibly another reason a certain minister may
not be keen to talk about.
In 2008, Christopher Pyne, current Defence Industry Minister
in Australia led an American Government funded National Democratic Institute
(NDI) mission to Hong Kong, against the political interests of Hong Kong
and the national security of China. Read about the Christopher Pyne NDI mission here.
By engaging in malign and destabilizing activities, the NDI have
created havoc in Hong Kong. The city is polarized, there is political conflict,
the government is under siege, seeds of mistrust have been sown between Hong
Kong and China, all because of a carefully orchestrated American Government
funded program attacking China. To add insult to injury, the NDI is operating
illegally in Hong Kong, something Mr. Pyne could have found out himself if he
had bothered to do his due diligence. See report on NDI status here.
In simple terms, Christopher Pyne’s visit to Hong Kong
resulted in the direct interference by Australia
in the domestic political affairs of China and Hong Kong on behalf of America.
When China talks about ‘foreign interference’ in their internal affairs, this
is one of the things they are talking about.
So the question is Mr. Christopher Pyne, are you still working as an agent of the American
Government (because that’s what you were when you visited Hong Kong in 2008)
and if yes, is the real reason your Government blocked the Chinese Ausgrid bid
part of an ongoing effort by America to contain Chinese influence in the Asia
Pacific region.
As an aside, can someone in the Australian Government please
explain how a former agent of the American Government can pass security vetting
to become Australia’s Defence Industry Minister?
Background
The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) works in all
corners of the globe, supporting democracy activists on six continents and in
90 countries. It acts as a conduit to disperse US Government funds for
‘promoting democracy’, allocated by Congress to its four core grantees:
1. The Free Trade Union Institute, representing the labor
sector,
2. The Center for International Private Enterprise,
representing the business sector,
3. The National Democratic Institute (NDI), representing the
Democratic Party,
4. The National Republican Institute (IRI), representing the
Republican Party.
Hong Kong has been a major focus of NED attention because it
gives them a ‘foothold’ in China, one of their arch enemies and since 1994, the NED has allocated considerable funds to support activities
targeting Hong Kong, including the following programs:
1. Survey Missions.
2. Eliminate Article
23.
3. Monitoring Elections.
4. Working with Local Elected Officials
(Developing Political Parties).
5. The Promise of Democratization in Hong Kong report series.
6. Public Opinion Polls.
7. Youth Public Participation.
8. Women's Political Participation.
Most NED programs in Hong Kong are being run by the NDI,
which sent their first survey mission to Hong Kong in March 1997 to assess the political environment
and identify possibilities for NDI programming in the territory. Read about NDI programs in Hong Kong here.
Between 1997 and 2012 a total of fourteen NDI survey missions visited
Hong Kong to further identify opportunities for NDI programming. The findings of these missions were documented in
the Promise of Democratization Report series. Read the reports here.
Christopher Pyne leads NDI mission to Hong Kong
In August 2008, Christopher Pyne, Member of
Parliament for Sturt, Australia and Shadow Minister for Justice led one of
these survey missions, accompanied by Thomas Barry, NDI Deputy Regional
Director for Asia programs, Anne Tsai Bennett, NDI Program Manager for Asia, Belinda
Winterbourne, NDI Program Manager for Hong Kong and Stephen Tong, NDI Program
Officer for Hong Kong.
 |
| NDI Hong Kong Report 13 cover |
 |
| Report overview, identifying Christopher Pyne as mission leader |
 |
| Team member Belinda
Winterbourne, NDI Program Manager for Hong Kong in 2008. |
 |
| Team member Stephen Tong, NDI Program Officer for Hong Kong in 2008 |
The findings of the mission were recorded in: The
Promise of Democratization in Hong Kong: The 2008 Legislative Council
Elections. NDI Hong Kong Report #13. 15 October 2008. You can access the full report here.
Photo credits
Christopher Pyne
The Australian.
Business Review. Reporter Jared Owens. Ausgrid: foreign investment block not
motivated by racism, Pyne says. 12 August 2016. See full report here.
Belinda Winterbourne and Stephen TONG
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