Although separated by the world’s largest ocean, Australia and Canada have a lot in common.
Both are western middle-power democracies and allies of the United States that struggle to manage relations with an increasingly assertive and powerful China. Both have similar populations of people of Chinese heritage.
And both have been subjected to illegal and coercive foreign interference from China.
In 2018, Australia enacted controversial national security legislation with the intention of reducing the risk of foreign interference. The legislation was drafted without naming any particular country, although political commentary made it clear China was a main target.
