Australian agents raided the homes of Chinese journalists in June, said China’s state media, in the latest flare-up of tensions between the nations.
The reports come a day after the last two journalists working in China for Australian media flew home after a tense diplomatic stand-off.
On Wednesday, two state mouthpieces said the Chinese reporters had been asked not to report the June incident.
Australian police and intelligence agencies said they would not comment.
The “raid” took place on an unspecified number of Chinese journalists’ homes by Australian intelligence officers on 26 June.
It is said that the reporters were told to “be silent” about the incident.
Another state media outlet said the Chinese journalists were questioned and their computers and smart-phones seized, citing an unnamed source “close to the matter”.
It also cited anonymous experts as saying: “The incident exposed Australia’s hypocrisy in upholding so-called “freedom of the press”.
According to media, the raids took place on the same day the home and office of Australian politician Shaoquett Moselman were raided.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Australian Security Intelligence Agency (Asio) said: “As is long-standing practice, Asio does not comment on intelligence matters.”
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