Taipei, Aug. 8 -- A Chinese citizen and Australian permanent resident based in Canberra was charged on Monday under Australia's foreign interference laws for covertly collecting information about an Australian Buddhist association, police said, according to the Taipei Times.

The woman, whose identity is withheld by court order, was charged in a Canberra court with secretly gathering intelligence on the local branch of the Guan Yin Citta Buddhist association, which is banned in China. Authorities allege she acted on behalf of China's Public Security Bureau, the Taipei Times reported.

"We allege the activity was to support intelligence objectives of China's Public Security Bureau," Australian Federal Police (AFP) Assistant Commissioner St...