In a significant address at the Lowy Institute in Sydney, Mike Burgess, the Director-General of Australia’s Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO), leveled serious accusations against Chinese security services. Burgess claimed that China has engaged in widespread intellectual property theft and political interference, while demonstrating a lack of understanding of how Western intelligence agencies operate. He emphasized that while espionage is a common practice among nations, China’s actions go beyond acceptable norms by engaging in wholesale theft and high-harm activities. Burgess also criticized China’s response to his accusations, stating that Chinese officials often complain to various Australian entities but fail to address ASIO directly. He asserted that China’s behavior reflects a misunderstanding of Western liberal democracies and the independent role of security services. Despite recent improvements in diplomatic and trade relations between China and Australia, security tensions remain high, particularly as Australia aligns with the United States to counter China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region. Burgess highlighted his strong collaboration with the FBI and reiterated Australia’s commitment to protecting its national interests. In his 2023 annual threat assessment, Burgess warned of unprecedented levels of espionage and foreign interference targeting Australians.