Canberra, Australia — China’s ambassador to Australia has issued a stern warning that the recent ban on the artificial intelligence app DeepSeek from government systems and devices could further politicize trade and technology ties between the two nations, which have only recently stabilized.
Ambassador Xiao Qian’s comments come as a Chinese naval task force continues to skirt Australia’s territorial waters in an apparent plan to circumnavigate the island nation. The warships held live-fire drills in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand ten days ago.
Writing in The Australian newspaper on March 3, Mr. Xiao stated that the Chinese-developed AI program would “greatly benefit the world in various aspects” and encouraged Australia to collaborate with Beijing on new technologies. He criticized the ban, calling it an attempt to “overstretch the concept of national security and politicize trade and tech issues.”
In early February, Australia’s center-left Labour government became one of the first countries to ban DeepSeek from official devices, citing national security concerns. This move is one of several recent actions that have threatened to sour relations between Australia and its largest trading partner. Both Canberra and Beijing have made significant efforts to repair their relationship since Labour’s election in May 2022.
The Chinese naval task force’s unexpected decision to hold live-fire drills off Australia’s heavily populated east coast on February 21 has sparked a national debate over whether Canberra has done enough to bolster its military preparedness. Australia only learned of the exercises when commercial pilots had to divert from the area. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese criticized Beijing for the lack of notice, while Shadow Defence Minister Andrew Hastie described the exercises as an “overt signal of military strength from the Chinese government” and a reminder that Australians “can’t take anything for granted.”
As of the morning of March 3, the ships were 305 nautical miles southeast of Western Australia’s state capital, Perth, according to the Department of Defence. First spotted near Australia’s northern approaches in mid-February, the three-ship task force has now sailed almost two-thirds of the way around the island nation.