Woman may have spied for Beijing

Australian Federal Police (AFP) have charged a Chinese national with foreign interference relating to the covert collection of information, in a case that raises the risk of sparking renewed tensions with Beijing.

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The woman, who is also a permanent resident, was arrested and charged on Saturday after police executed search warrants at homes across Canberra, AFP Assistant Commissioner Stephen Nutt told reporters yesterday. More arrests are expected, he said.

The woman was allegedly assigned by a public security bureau in China to covertly gather information about the Canberra branch of Guan Yin Citta, a Buddhist association, according to a statement from the AFP.