MELBOURNE: A federal politician of Australia has demanded a full investigation into the death of a 32-year-old man and his probable links to an alleged plan to infiltrate Australia’s parliament with a foreign spy.

An extraordinary claim aired by Nine’s 60 Minutes that Melbourne luxury car dealer 32-year-old Nick Zhao was nurtured by the government of Chinese to run as a Liberal Party candidate.

The program, citing sources, also revealed that Zhao reported the plot to Australia’s spy agency ASIO.

Zhou was reportedly found dead in a hotel room in Melbourne in March. Investigators are yet to ascertain the cause of his death.

According to Federal Liberal backbencher Andrew Hastie, he was briefed on Zhao’s death.

Hastie said, “It was surreal.” He added it was like something out of a novel happening in Melbourne with impunity.

He said Australians should be really “concerned” about the alleged plot, adding: “This isn’t just cash in a bag. It is a state-sponsored attempt to infiltrate Australia’s parliament.”

Hastie added, “Using a citizen of Australia and using them as an agent of foreign influence in Australia’s democratic system. Therefore, it is significant. Australians should be very concerned about this.”

He has also called for a full investigation into Zhao’s death saying that they need to explore every nook and cranny. “We cast as much light into the shadows to ensure that we have a comprehensive understanding of how and why Zhou died.”

Likewise, Mike Burgess, ASIO’s Director-General of Security said the agency was taking the matter extremely ‘seriously’.

Burgess said hostile foreign intelligence activities continue to pose a real threat to Australia and its security.

Chinese ‘spy’ defects to Australia

This revelation came after the program ‘60 Minutes’ broadcast the claims of self-proclaimed Chinese spy Wang ‘William’ Liqiang.

Several newspapers had earlier reported that Wang provided ASIO with details of how the senior military intelligence officers of China fund and conduct political interference operations in Australia, Hong Kong as well as in Taiwan.

Liqiang, 27, is currently hiding out somewhere in Sydney with his wife and a son. He says he lives in constant fear of being followed, watched or even attacked.

Liqiang claimed his loyalty to Beijing faltered after he got a fake South Korean passport and was then made to travel to Taiwan to interfere in the upcoming election in Taiwan.

He said this time he was requested to change his name and whole identity to go to Taiwan and to work as a spy there.

Liqiang said this was the main reason why he came to Australia to seek asylum.

“My safety would be at stake if I was found out as Taiwan’s ability of anti-infiltration is very strong,” he said, adding, “Imagine what would my family, my young son do?”

Liqiang said he would help the Australian government better understand China’s intelligence system.

(Agencies)