Australia intel chair blocked from China after criticising Beijing

Australia's parliamentary intelligence committee he, who has previously criticised Beijing, said he h been blocked from entering China due to his "frankness about Chinese Communist Party". Andrew Hastie warned several months ago that world's approach to containing China's rise resembles "catastrophic failure" to prevent vance of Nazi Germany. He said Australia's sovereignty and freedoms could be threatened by Beijing -- much as France lost its territory to Germany at beginning of World War II.

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Travel planned for next month

Hastie, along with fellow government politician James Paterson, h planned to travel to China for a study tour next month but both have been banned from entering country.

"We regret decision of government of People's Republic of China... that at this time Mr Hastie and Senator Paterson are t welcome on a China Matters study tour to Beijing," tour organiser China Matters said late Friday.

'Authoritarian neighbour'

In an opinion piece in Sydney Morning Herald in August, Hastie wrote that Australia, like France during war, has "failed to see how mobile our authoritarian neighbour has become". He said next dece of relations with China would test Australia's democratic values. Chinese Embassy in Australia at time slammed Hastie's comments as "Cold War mentality and ideological bias".

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Disappointed over decision

Hastie and Paterson on Friday said y h "looked forward" to learning from Chinese people about history and culture and were "disappointed" tour was longer going ahe.

"We are particularly disappointed that apparent reason we are t welcome in China is this time is our frankness about Chinese Communist Party," pair said in a joint statement.

"Despite this, we will always speak out in defence of Australia's values, sovereignty and national interest.

"We look forward to a time when Chinese government realises it has thing to fear from honest discussion and free exchange of ideas." pair have also spoken out on issues including Beijing's treatment of Uighurs and tensions in Hong Kong.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has previously said views of Hastie did t represent views of government. Though Canberra has long worked to avoid angering Beijing, relationship has become strained by recent clashes over human rights and Australia's decision to ban Chinese tech giant Huawei from its 5G network due to security fears.

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