An Australian defence and security expert, Dr Ross Babbage, from the Centre of Strategic and Budgetary Assessments in Washington, said the changes were overdue and were required to curb China's increased attempts to interfere in Australian politics.
"China has certainly been active, essentially campaigning for political influence here," he told ABC Radio. "It has been involved in a raft of indirect activities through a range of business people, some of whom are ethnic Chinese, some of whom are not."