China buys Australian land, infrastructure and businesses at an alarming rate as it tries to increase its influence in the world.

China is the second largest foreign owner in Australia.

Most of the foreign owned land is located in Western Australia and the Northern Territory, used for raising cattle.

Treasury Secretary Josh Frydenberg said foreign investment was important for growth.

Zenith Australia, a subsidiary of the Chinese business Shanghai Cred, owns seven properties in Western Australia, one of the largest Chinese landowners in the country.

Not only does China buy land, China also controls a number of strategic facilities in Australia.

An airport in the countryside 260 km east of Perth was originally only two runways with gravel.

However, experts have expressed concern about allowing foreign governments to control airspace in Australia.

"It's disgusting to think that an Australian pilot could be refused Chinese landing at his airport," said Dick Smith, former president of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

In November 2015, the Northern Territory authorities let Landbridge Australia, a subsidiary of Chinese enterprise Shandong Landbridge, lease Darwin port for 99 years at a bid of US $ 506 million.

US President Barack Obama at the time questioned the controversial deal, prompting former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage to say that Australia had "allied" its allies.

Labor MP Nick Champion called for a cancellation of the contract.

Over the past decade, China has spent more than US $ 150 billion by investing in or acquiring Australian companies, according to KPMG's analysis.

Late last year, Chinese dairy company Mengniu Dairy took over Australia's famous milk brand Lion Lion & Drinks in a deal worth $ 600 million.

In 2017, Chinese company Goldwind acquired Stockyard Hill wind farm, which has 149 turbines 35km west of Ballarat, from Origin Energy for $ 110 million.

In 2017, Yancoal Australia, of Chinese coal mining company Yanzhou bought Coal & Allied from Rio Tinto for $ 3.5 billion, becoming Australia's largest thermal coal mining company.

"China has always been interested in buying energy assets abroad," said Tim Murray from research firm J Capital.

In late 2019, after China was accused of installing spies in Australia's parliament, some experts said Chinese investments "blinded" politicians from security threats.

The expert said the Turnbull government's decision was to ban Chinese telecommunications conglomerate Huawei from building 5G networks for Australia, as well as introducing foreign anti-interference legislation that marked a policy change, shifting caution to China.

When Hartcher was asked why Australia did not act sooner, he blamed the attractiveness of Chinese money.