Australia refuses to say how many Chinese nationals are arriving by boat, saying it may damage bilateral relations

## Summary
Photograph: Dan Peled/AAP Australia refuses to say how many Chinese nationals are arriving by boat, saying it may damage bilateral relations Exclusive: Indonesia reports growing number of attempts by Chinese nationals to organise boat journeys, as Australian authorities refuse to reveal details Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The Australian government has refused to reveal how many Chinese nationals have arrived in Australia by boat since 2024, saying that disclosing the figure may harm relations with other countries. Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email Meanwhile, Indonesian police in the southernmost province of East Nusa Tenggara allege a growing number of attempts by Chinese nationals to organise boat journeys to Australia. In January 2026 , East Nusa Tenggara police received information that three Chinese nationals staying in a hotel in Kupang attempted to organise a voyage to Australia. View image in fullscreen Police in the Indonesian province of East Nusa Tenggara found three Chinese nationals allegedly attempted to depart illegally for Australia.

## Article Content
The Kimberley coast, north of Broome. Media reports from January 2024 to December 2025 show that at least three boats that carried Chinese nationals reached Australia.
Photograph: Dan Peled/AAP
View image in fullscreen
The Kimberley coast, north of Broome. Media reports from January 2024 to December 2025 show that at least three boats that carried Chinese nationals reached Australia.
Photograph: Dan Peled/AAP
Australia refuses to say how many Chinese nationals are arriving by boat, saying it may damage bilateral relations
Exclusive: Indonesia reports growing number of attempts by Chinese nationals to organise boat journeys, as Australian authorities refuse to reveal details
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The Australian government has refused to reveal how many Chinese nationals have arrived in Australia by boat since 2024, saying that disclosing the figure may harm relations with other countries.
However, reports by Indonesian police show that there has been a consistent trend of Chinese nationals attempting to reach Australia through
Indonesia
as an alternative to “zouxian”, or “walking the line” – the illegal migration route from Mexico to the US through the Darian Gap.
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That route became popular among Chinese nationals in 2021, driven by China’s tightening political control and economic slowdown. In 2023, more than
37,000 Chinese nationals were arrested
on the southern border.
A crackdown on that route under both the Biden and Trump administrations has pushed many Chinese nationals to turn to countries such as Australia. Media reports from
January 2024
to
December 2025
show that at least three boats that carried Chinese nationals reached Australia.
View image in fullscreen
Migrants are escorted by members of the Texas Army National Guard after crossing the Rio Grande river into the US from Mexico.
Photograph: Reuters
Guardian Australia lodged a freedom of information request with the Department of Home Affairs for the number of Chinese nationals who arrived by boat and were intercepted or taken to detention centres since January 2024.
In a letter sent to Guardian Australia in December, the department refused the request, saying that revealing the figure could compromise the Australian Border Force’s operational functions and damage bilateral relationships.
“I consider that revealing whether Chinese nationals arriving by boat have been intercepted, have been taken to onshore or offshore detention centres or been deported back to
China
could reasonably be expected to damage Australia’s relations with foreign governments,” a departmental official wrote.
“Maintaining strong bilateral and multilateral relationships with foreign governments requires trust. Integral to maintaining trusted relationships is the capacity for the Australian governments to protect its communications with foreign governments, including by maintaining confidentiality over the flow of information.
“A decision on the part of the Department to reveal this information would likely cause the governments of other countries to become less willing to cooperate with, or provide information to the Australian Government or its agencies in the future.”
Guardian Australia has requested a review of the decision.
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Meanwhile, Indonesian police in the southernmost province of East Nusa Tenggara allege a growing number of attempts by Chinese nationals to organise boat journeys to Australia.
In mid 2025
, the East Nusa Tenggara police revealed they arrested four Chinese nationals allegedly trying to reach Australia by boat in Kupang, the capital of East Nusa Tenggara.
They alleged the four suspects entered Indonesia in May 2025, and bought a speedboat for US$3,500 in Kupang. The report also said the group made their first attempt in June 2025, but the boat was stranded on a beach. The group then tried to seek help from a local fisher, who alerted police.
In January 2026
, East Nusa Tenggara police received information that three Chinese nationals staying in a hotel in Kupang attempted to organise a voyage to Australia. The police then found the three nationals in Oliana Beach with a boat, alleging they tried to depart illegally for Australia.
View image in fullscreen
Police in the Indonesian province of East Nusa Tenggara found three Chinese nationals allegedly attempted to depart illegally for Australia.
Photograph: Indonesian Directorate General of Immigration
On 24 February, police in Rote Ndao – a regency of East Nusa Tenggara – discovered a boat that carried seven foreign nationals on Masidae Beach, with four of them being Chinese nationals.
Rote Ndao police later revealed
that these seven people allegedly took the boat from Indonesia to Australia on 11 February, and reached Australian waters on 19 February. However, the bo

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## Expert Analysis

### Merits
- In a letter sent to Guardian Australia in December, the department refused the request, saying that revealing the figure could compromise the Australian Border Force’s operational functions and damage bilateral relationships. “I consider that revealing whether Chinese nationals arriving by boat have been intercepted, have been taken to onshore or offshore detention centres or been deported back to China could reasonably be expected to damage Australia’s relations with foreign governments,” a departmental official wrote. “Maintaining strong bilateral and multilateral relationships with foreign governments requires trust.

### Areas for Consideration
- However, reports by Indonesian police show that there has been a consistent trend of Chinese nationals attempting to reach Australia through Indonesia as an alternative to “zouxian”, or “walking the line” – the illegal migration route from Mexico to the US through the Darian Gap.

### Implications
- Photograph: Dan Peled/AAP Australia refuses to say how many Chinese nationals are arriving by boat, saying it may damage bilateral relations Exclusive: Indonesia reports growing number of attempts by Chinese nationals to organise boat journeys, as Australian authorities refuse to reveal details Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The Australian government has refused to reveal how many Chinese nationals have arrived in Australia by boat since 2024, saying that disclosing the figure may harm relations with other countries.
- What will it take to offer a fair go for all?
- In a letter sent to Guardian Australia in December, the department refused the request, saying that revealing the figure could compromise the Australian Border Force’s operational functions and damage bilateral relationships. “I consider that revealing whether Chinese nationals arriving by boat have been intercepted, have been taken to onshore or offshore detention centres or been deported back to China could reasonably be expected to damage Australia’s relations with foreign governments,” a departmental official wrote. “Maintaining strong bilateral and multilateral relationships with foreign governments requires trust.
- Integral to maintaining trusted relationships is the capacity for the Australian governments to protect its communications with foreign governments, including by maintaining confidentiality over the flow of information. “A decision on the part of the Department to reveal this information would likely cause the governments of other countries to become less willing to cooperate with, or provide information to the Australian Government or its agencies in the future.” Guardian Australia has requested a review of the decision.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers australia, chinese, nationals topics. Notable strengths include discussion of australia. Areas of concern are also raised. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 949.