Banned billionaire Huang Xiangmo calls Australia a 'giant baby' for cancelling visa
Shanghai | Banned Chinese billionaire Huang Xiangmo says Australia has the characteristics of a "giant baby" in an interview with a Chinese newspaper where he rejects allegations that he was seeking to influence Australian politics at the request of Beijing.
Mr Huang, who was refused re-entry to Australia after his permanent residency status was cancelled, said his political donations were made at the request of the major parties and that the allegations against him were implausible.
"The history of Australia has determined the innate characteristics of a giant baby. This is an objective fact and it does not mean Australia has to feel inferior. The growth of a giant baby takes time, and Australia still has a long way to go," Mr Huang was quoted as saying in an interview with China's hawkish Global Times newspaper published on Tuesday.
Banned Chinese billionaire Huang Xiangmo says Australia has the characteristics of a "giant baby". James Brickwood
Mr Huang, who is living in Hong Kong, has demanded that $2.7 million in donations he gave to both major political parties be returned so he can donate it to charity. He told the Global Times that the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation should focus on journalists "stealing classified information" to gain attention.
"If ASIO really cares about Australia's national security, it should have a thorough investigation about the sources of the media and investigate whether some of the reporters are suspected of serving foreign intelligence agencies apart from their actions of stealing classified information to gain attention and a spotlight," he said.
Huge political donations
Mr Huang, a Sydney property developer who came to Australia in 2010, was thrust into the spotlight after donating $2.7 million to both sides of politics over five years and appearing at functions with prominent Labor and Liberal Party figures. It is understood Mr Huang left Sydney in November to pursue projects in Thailand and Hong Kong and before that handed control of his Australian property interests to his son Jimmy Huang.
The Australian Financial Review revealed last week that ASIO ordered the cancellation of Mr Huang's residency in Australia because he was "amenable to conducting acts of foreign interference".
Mr Huang said the donations were made at the request of political parties and politicians. "They raised donations according to the law. I donated according to the law. Except for a parliament member who suddenly returned money after accepting donations for a long time, all my political donations were calmly accepted by them."
While Beijing, which does not recognise dual citizenship, has not officially protested Mr Huang's case, prominent academics in China warned it would damage trade and business between the countries.
"As anyone can plainly see, Huang has once again fallen victim to a renewed wave of anti-China hysteria, aimed at increasing fearmongering and hatred towards China and Chinese business throughout the country," Chen Hong, director of the Australian Studies Centre at Shanghai's East China Normal University, said.
When asked about the Huang case, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said this week: "I have no relevant information, but one thing is clear, which is that the Chinese side never interferes in others' internal affairs."
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