China lodges complaint to Australia over PM's Chinese interference remarks

China said on Friday it had lodged a complaint with Australia after Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said he took reports very seriously that China's Communist Party had sought to interfere in his country.

Left is Malcolm Turnbull and right is Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang. Source: AAP

Mr Turnbull said this week that foreign powers were making "unprecedented and increasingly sophisticated attempts to influence the political process" in Australia and the world.

He cited "disturbing reports about Chinese influence". 

Mr Turnbull, speaking to parliament on Thursday during the introduction of legislation to stop external interference in domestic politics, reiterated those concerns.

"Media reports have suggested that the Chinese Communist Party has been working to covertly interfere with our media, our universities and even the decisions of elected representatives right here in this building. We take these reports very seriously," he said.