<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>An alleged plot by </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/china" rel="" target="" title="Chinese"><span>Chinese</span></a><span> citizens to infiltrate a </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/religion/4" rel="" target="" title="religious"><span>religious</span></a><span> network in </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national" rel="" target="" title="Australia"><span>Australia</span></a><span> had "a bit of a spy thriller feel to it", according to </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/courts" rel="" target="" title="court"><span>court</span></a><span> documents.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Three people have been charged in the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/australian-capital-territory" rel="" target="" title="ACT"><span>ACT</span></a><span> with reckless foreign interference, with police alleging three Chinese nationals were tasked by Beijing to infiltrate a Canberra-based Buddhist association, Guan Yin Citta, which is banned in China.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A 37-year-old Chinese woman, given the pseudonym Thomas Tyler, was charged with reckless foreign interference in 2025.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/canberra-dissent-bar-and-cafe-investigated-for-hate-crime-breaches-over-parody-art-posters/35d7d377-46e4-4f71-a842-27ed6c96c05e" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Aussie bar being investigated under new hate laws over 'parody' posters</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Then, 31-year-old Suri Zheng and a 25-year-old, given the pseudonym Joseph Vance, were charged with the same offence in February.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>All three remain on bail.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Tyler has pleaded not guilty.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/texts-from-chinas-alleged-spy-thriller-ring-revealed/69fb73a3-83d1-46dc-a0d8-be1fb485410e" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Messages between Tyler and the two co-accused, as well as a foreign official at China's Public Security Bureau, range from 2022 to 2025, according to police documents tendered to the ACT Magistrates Court.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Tyler's husband was also named as an employee of the public security bureau.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The unnamed foreign official subsequently asked Tyler to "infiltrate the enemy's inner circle", according to translations of WeChat messages outlined in the police documents.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The foreign official referred to Tyler as his niece throughout the translated conversations tendered to the court.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/shark-attacks-kill-five-people-off-australia-in-2025/30f15745-3975-495e-be72-666280b64973" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Australia heads world table for fatal shark attacks</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"You can slip in, climb as high as you can," the foreign official told Tyler, to which the 37-year-old replied, "Are you serious?", before adding, "I'll give it a proper go and see if I can sneak in".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Doesn't this have a bit of a spy thriller feel to it. First, maintain confidentiality. Second, inform me immediately if anything arises," the foreign official then replied to Tyler.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"If you climb high enough, you'll be commended directly by the leaders in Beijing," the official added.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Tyler had separately tasked Vance to investigate the Buddhist association and scrape data from its website, local news sites and social media posts, including about its organisational structures and activities, the documents reveal.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Information on the organisation and its late-leader Junhong Lu in Australia was taken from social media and Australian Securities and Investments Commission records, according to the police documents.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The foreign official also asked Tyler to call and inquire into the activities of the Buddhist association in </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/sydney" rel="" target="" title="Sydney"><span>Sydney</span></a><span> and </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/melbourne" rel="" target="" title="Melbourne"><span>Melbourne</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Tyler forwarded the message to Zheng, suggesting "being undercover".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Just say 'want to join to learn about this practice'," Tyler wrote.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>One witness provided a statement to police in October 2025 alleging he was tasked by Tyler and Zheng to covertly collect information about Guan Yin Citta, according to the court documents.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Beijing opposed the disruption of normal exchanges between people in China and other countries "under the pretext of 'foreign interference'," foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said in response to the February arrests.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>