Two Chinese nationals have been released on bail by the ACT Magistrates Court after being arrested for alleged spying on the Canberra branch of a Buddhist association. The 25-year-old man and 31-year-old woman, Siru Zheng, are accused of reckless foreign interference, a charge linked to a woman arrested last year for the same offence.
Magistrate Glenn Theakston granted bail despite prosecution concerns that the pair might flee to China, where extradition would be unlikely. The magistrate noted strong ties to Canberra and scant evidence of covert activities beyond a single phone call. Both have pleaded not guilty and will return to court in April.
The court heard that the alleged conduct for Ms Zheng ended four years ago in 2022, while the man's alleged offending continues to the present. Police evidence largely consists of open-source material, including screenshots from Google, and over 23,000 terabytes of data from the man's devices.
Bail conditions require the pair to remain in Canberra and avoid contact with the Guan Yin Citta group, which is banned in China. The court suppressed the man's name but allowed Ms Zheng's name to be published as it had already appeared in national media.
