By Xia Yan, Vision Times
As Australia accelerates its transition toward renewable energy, Beijing has seized a strategic opportunity to tighten its political leverage over Canberra. During a recent three-day visit, senior Chinese Communist Party (CCP) official Zhao Leji traveled to Australia in a trip that immediately drew scrutiny from government agencies and analysts.
Though Zhao currently serves as chairman of the National People’s Congress (known as a largely ceremonial “rubber-stamp” institution) his role as one of leader Xi Jinping’s most trusted loyalists gives his visit an unmistakable air of imperial authority.
Below the diplomatic surface, however, lies a deeper tension: Australia urgently needs affordable solar and wind technology to achieve its energy transition goals — and China controls more than 80 percent of the global supply chain. That dependence is now colliding with rising concerns over Beijing’s espionage, political influence, and military expansion in the region.
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Zhao Leji: Xi’s trusted envoy arrives down under
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Zhao Leji is often described as the archetype of the CCP’s privileged “second-generation red elites” — the children of senior Party officials who inherit political capital rather than earn it. As a product of this system, Zhao rose not through meaningful accomplishments (of which there are few) but through an instinctive ability to “read the emperor’s mind,” to align himself with the priorities of whoever sits at the top.
Once seen as a “political prodigy,” Zhao advanced without major governance successes. His tenure as Party secretary in Qinghai and later Shaanxi coincided with extraordinary patterns of corruption:
In Qinghai, two Party secretaries after Zhao were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment, while in Shaanxi, his immediate successor also received a life sentence. Yet Zhao himself emerged unscathed each time — an outcome that analysts describe as proof of his special relationship with Xi and his unquestionable loyalty.
Today, as Xi faces mounting domestic and international pressures, Zhao’s value lies in his ability to deliver messages with the weight of the top leadership behind him. His visit to Australia was no exception.
Walking a tightrope
Zhao’s trip unfolded at a time of dramatic geopolitical shifts, especially following the return of Donald Trump to the White House. With U.S.–China tensions escalating, Australia finds itself caught in an increasingly uncomfortable middle. Canberra wants U.S. support on defense and Chinese cooperation on trade. But neither the dependence nor the retaliation that comes with angering Beijing
This tension was visible in how Australian officials handled Zhao’s visit. While the Albanese government extended a polite welcome, security agencies implemented unprecedented counter-espionage protocols:
- Officials were instructed to close office doors and windows
- Turn off mobile phones and electronic devices
- Prepare for possible Wi-Fi disruptions caused by Chinese equipment
Australian intelligence has long warned that Chinese delegations — including trade or “friendly exchange” groups — often include personnel tasked with data harvesting or political influence operations.
Who holds the cards?
The Albanese government has staked its political future on the Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS), a nationwide plan to expand solar and wind generation. But renewable energy development is inseparable from China’s dominant role in green-tech manufacturing, including:
- China produces over 80 percent of global photovoltaic materials, batteries, and solar modules
- Key components for wind turbines — rare-earth magnets, gearbox systems, tower infrastructure — are overwhelmingly Chinese-made
- For Australian planners, China offers the only combination of scale, cost efficiency, and immediate availability required to expand renewable capacity rapidly.
Following a thaw in bilateral ties, Canberra launched the CIS program in 2023. When Albanese visited Beijing in July 2024, Chinese leaders signaled strong support, prompting the Australian government to expand the plan by 25 percent, from 32GW to 40GW.
This arrangement serves both sides: Australia gains cheap equipment; China offloads excess manufacturing capacity in a slowing economy.
But security agencies warn that Beijing is simultaneously expanding its military footprint in the South Pacific, intensifying espionage activities, and deepening political influence operations targeting Australia. The message is clear: economic cooperation comes bundled with geopolitical leverage.
Zhao’s message: ‘Don’t bite the hand that feeds you’
According to analysts, Zhao’s mission was straightforward — to remind the Albanese government of China’s “red lines.” Zhao reportedly emphasized that deeper economic cooperation is possible only if Australia aligns itself closely with Beijing’s positions on Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Tibet, and the South China Sea.
Diplomatic language was polite, but the subtext unmistakable: Do not challenge CCP sovereignty narratives while relying on China for economic benefits.
As with many visits by senior CCP officials, the “welcoming crowds” were primarily organized and paid groups, some of whom reportedly did not know who Zhao Leji was — only that transportation and meals were free. Protesters, by contrast, arrived independently and fully aware of their purpose.
However, unlike previous visits, this time the demonstrations turned violent. Pro-CCP participants physically assaulted protesters and tore down their signs, behavior witnesses say police tolerated in order to “save face” for the visiting delegation.
Well-known anti-CCP activist Drew Pavlou shared footage of Queensland police attempting to block his protest: Two Chinese-Australian “liaison officers” told him his sign — urging Zhao to “defect quickly” — was “disrespectful to the guest.” One of the officers, surprisingly, was from Taiwan.
The incident left many Australians stunned. In a country that prides itself on free expression, even light-hearted criticism of a foreign official was suppressed.
Zhao’s own future in limbo
Despite Zhao’s seniority, few believe he is politically safe. Under Xi’s rule, China’s economy has stalled, public discontent is intensifying, and elite rivalries are hardening. If Xi’s authority falters, Zhao — as one of his closest lieutenants — is likely to become a convenient scapegoat, sacrificed to quell public anger.
“Ending up in Qincheng Prison,” one analyst remarked, “is not an impossible outcome.” Australia has faced similar dilemmas before. The previous Coalition government banned Huawei from participating in the nation’s 5G network to prevent critical infrastructure from falling under CCP influence. The move set an international precedent — but came at a steep economic cost.
Now, with the CIS grid, the Albanese government is making the opposite calculation: economic urgency over security caution, despite widespread warnings. Renewable energy expansion may depend on Chinese technology, but as critics point out, “dancing with the wolf” has never ended well for those who tried.
Australia’s path toward renewable energy is increasingly intertwined with China’s economic and political ambitions. Zhao Leji’s visit underscores both Beijing’s willingness to supply the equipment Australia needs — and its expectation of political conformity in return.
For now, Canberra appears determined to move forward. But history, critics warn, has already shown the cost of trusting a regime whose influence comes with strings attached.
