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Concerns expressed in Australia over joining 'Belt and Road' initiative

AUSTRALIA's heads of the immigration and defence departments are among senior figures opposed to Beijing's 'One Belt, One Road' initiative, and advised the Government earlier this year not to join it, a report by Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has confirmed.

Several government sources said the Chinese plan also triggered a divide inside the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, with trade bureaucrats broadly in favour of joining while the diplomatic corps was reticent.



To date, 68 countries including New Zealand, have signed up to the signature project of Chinese President Xi Jinping, which marks his nation's plans to expand its power in the region and beyond.



"The economic case for Australia formally joining simply wasn't made," a senior government figure was quoted as saying.



"We saw very little in additional economic benefit for signing up, but a lot of negative strategic consequences if we accepted Beijing's offer."



At the start of this year federal ministers closely examined and rejected a Chinese investment proposal which linked the Australian government's plans for northern Australia to the Belt and Road initiative.



Several government sources have confirmed Immigration Department secretary Mike Pezzullo and then Defence Department boss Dennis Richardson warned against Australia joining the project because of "strategic" concerns.



Their advice came as the federal Cabinet met to formalise Australia's response to Mr Xi's One Belt, One Road strategy.



The ABC understands numerous other senior figures in Australia's national security community were also opposed to the idea, believing it unwise to deepen Australia's dependence on China.
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