Trade Group Driving China’s Belt and Road Initiative in Australia: Internal Documents
A pro-Beijing organization in Australia is a driving force behind a decade-long infiltration into the country, including promoting China’s controversial Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese government documents reveal.
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a transcontinental investment project aimed at expanding China’s global influence through political, economic, or cultural cooperation, was first proposed by Chinese leader Xi Jinping in 2013. In recent years, the Australia International Trade Association (AITA) has organized more than 70 visiting tours for Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and Australian officials.
As an Australian civil organization with close ties with the CCP’s United Front Work and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, AITA has launched extensive local events focusing on promoting the Belt and Road Initiative.