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CANBERRA, Australia (AP) - Chinese officials on Tuesday protested Australia's decision to grant asylum to a former diplomat from China and warned that the case could affect relations between the two countries.
Australia last week granted a permanent visa to middle-ranked diplomat Chen Yonglin. He left his post at China's consulate in Sydney in May and asked for asylum, claiming he would be persecuted if he returned home because of his sympathy for the Falun Gong spiritual movement, which Beijing brands as an evil cult.
He later claimed to have information that Beijing was running a vast spy network in Australia.
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