An Australian interpreter with longstanding ties to senior political leaders has attracted scrutiny due to his academic affiliations with several Chinese institutions that are subject to international restrictions. Professor Qin, who has translated for multiple Australian prime ministers over the past three decades, holds visiting professorships at Sichuan University, Southeast University, and Kunming University of Science and Technology. These universities are linked to China’s defence research apparatus and are overseen by the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence (SASTIND).
Southeast University is designated as “very high risk” by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) because of its involvement in advanced defence research, cyber espionage activities, and close ties to China’s military industry. Sichuan University is similarly under scrutiny, being listed on both the Pentagon’s sanctions list and the US Department of Commerce’s Entity List, which prohibit technology transfer and cooperative research with the institution. Kunming University of Science and Technology is considered “medium risk” due to its defence programs and SASTIND supervision.
Geoff Wade of ASPI noted concerns stemming from Professor Qin’s participation in various Chinese community organizations in Australia, including the Yunnan General Chamber of Commerce and the 1818 Club. Particularly notable was Qin’s role in launching the Overseas Work Liaison Centre of the Yunnan Provincial Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese in Melbourne in 2018. Wade questioned why the Australian prime minister’s delegation to China did not employ official, security-vetted interpreters from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) instead.
Responding to these concerns, Graham Fletcher, Australia’s former ambassador to China, clarified that DFAT has not used in-house interpreters on overseas trips since the 1980s, underscoring that contracted professionals like Professor Qin have long provided services for Australian prime ministers, including Anthony Albanese, as well as for numerous previous leaders and dignitaries.
Professor Qin’s Melbourne-based firm, Chin Communications, has secured over A$1 million in federal government contracts since 2011, working with departments such as Prime Minister and Cabinet, Defence, and Foreign Affairs and Trade. On his company website, Qin praised a 2019 decision by former Victorian Premier Dan Andrews to join China’s Belt and Road Initiative, a move which was later reversed by the federal government under Scott Morrison. Qin described ongoing state-level economic engagement with China as beneficial to Australian business amid broader tensions in bilateral relations.
The interpreter’s connection to Chinese-linked figures has also drawn attention outside government circles. Last year, Prime Minister Albanese attended a fundraising dinner hosted by Mr. Lei at his Point Piper mansion, an event also featuring Dan Andrews, the Commonwealth Bank CEO Matt Comyn, and several former financial regulators. The dinner attracted controversy due to questions surrounding the source of Mr. Lei’s family wealth, notably the freezing of assets belonging to his father by Australia’s Taxation Office over an alleged A$273 million in unpaid taxes.
Prime Minister Albanese declined to provide details about the dinner, stating that he does not discuss private events, emphasizing the normalcy of attending numerous such functions. The intersection of these associations has raised questions about the vetting and transparency processes relating to individuals engaged at the highest levels of Australian government diplomacy.