Sydney, Australia - Chinese Democracy supporters held a rally today to support the Chinese defectors, Chen Yonglin and Hao Fengjun, who are seeking protection in Australia. The defectors have provided information about Chinese spies and informants who harass and intimidate Falun Gong practitioners and democracy supporters in Australia.

Since the two men defected, evidence has emerged that the Australian Government has been turning a blind eye to the human rights atrocities perpetrated by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), in return for trade incentives.

Mr. Chen also claimed this week that the CCP believes that the Australian Government "can be bought."

No Exaggeration

Mr Hao's lawyer – a well known human-rights advocate, and former Attorney-General of the Australian Capital Territory, Bernard Collaery - told the rally that Mr. Chen's claim about the number of Chinese spies in Australia was no exaggeration. He said further evidence existed to back Mr. Chen's claims about the spy network and that Chinese citizens had been kidnapped from Australia.

"I've learnt, and I can't give you too many details, from our courageous Chinese citizens who have defected to Australia, extraordinary things," he said.

Mr. Collaery claimed that the Australian public is not yet aware of the vast extent of this case.

"When Chen Yonglin left the Chinese consulate and spoke of about 1,000 spies in Australia, he wasn't exaggerating. Shortly, in due course in this country, you will be provided with a great deal of further evidence of that allegation."

Mr. Collaery said the Australian government's failure to protect Mr. Chen and Mr. Hao was one of a succession of failures by the foreign affairs department in recent times.

"When Soviet intelligence officers defected, they were greeted as heroes, they were given safe housing and they were rapidly processed with their families for permanent residence, but not with respect to the Chinese heroes," he said.

Mr. Collaery said that over 2.5 million CCP members have recently withdrawn from the party in “disgust and disenchantment," which was approximately 4% of party membership.

He said that this is the beginning of momentous change in China. He added, “The government of this country (Australia) does not recognize that regime change is under way in China."

Surveillance

Mr. Collaery stated, “I’ve been looking in the last 24 hours at an immigration decision to deny someone, who is here today, a protection visa. She was further denied refugee status at the Refugee Tribunal.

"In my other hand, I am holding an authoritative summary about this woman - her name and details of her immigration processing - that has been brought from China in recent times. This woman was under surveillance, and remains under surveillance in Australia – this is a scandal.

“Shortly, you will hear much more about the activities of Chinese informants."

Mr. Collaery finally added, “When you read, as you will soon, the internal party documents of the Central Committee, and the ”610 Office;” when you read the documents coming now from Vice-Minister Wu Yi, you will see what is intended, and what has been planned for the population of China, particularly for Falun Dafa. Most surprising, in our documents, is the decision to start identifying and reporting many particulars about people in China who are not Falun Dafa, but who may be sympathizers with Falun Dafa, or may have similar beliefs.

"This is a state process of aggression – a carefully planned process, Gestapo-like process, of suppressing a population."

Out of Hiding

Former Chinese diplomat, Chen Yonglin, came out of hiding to tell the rally about the horror his family has endured since his attempted defection to Australia.

He said it has been the "worst time" of his life after he abandoned his post at the Chinese consulate-general in Sydney on May 26.

Mr. Chen sought a protection visa to stay in Australia after his application for political asylum was rejected, but he still has not been granted protection. During the week, he told of his fears that the Australian government had done an “under the table deal” to send him back to China. He fears returning to China after he left his post and publicly claimed that China has a network of 1,000 spies operating in Australia.

"It has been one month since my betrayal of the Chinese Communist Government. [It has been] one month of life in hell, and my heart is heavy.

"I am an ordinary Chinese, [but] I have to deal with two governments now - one is the evil Chinese Government, and the other is one of which I have lost my illusion.

"However, I know a huge number of the Australian people support me, I saw some light at the end of the tunnel, and I know that I should not give in."

Mr. Chen said he hoped the Australian public would help his family and the Chinese people live a life of dignity and freedom.

“The Soviet Union and the countries in Europe have abandoned Communism, [but] China is still under the evil control of this 'Communism God.'

"It has been 16 years since the June 4th Tiananmen Square Massacre, and communism is increasing its control and persecuting the Chinese people. You cannot expect a dictatorship to turn into a democracy by itself.

"Hundreds of thousands of Chinese people are in prison and labor camps. Democratic countries like Australia should not be lured by the Chinese Communist Party and set aside its basic values of democracy, freedom, and human rights."

Mr. Chen purported that China's former president, Jiang Zemin, and current president, Hu Jintao, along with their factions, are still locked in conflict, and that corruption is endemic.

He said that over the past 16 years there have been increasing numbers of incidents of civil disobedience in China, and he felt that the anger of ordinary Chinese people could erupt at any time, like a “volcano."

Mr. Chen closed by stating that he supported the democracy movement and hoped very soon to see a free China.

Mr. Chen left the rally immediately after speaking, in a waiting car. He declined to talk further with the media.