The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Downer, has ignored the advice of his senior officials and publicly warned China that harassment of Falun Gong [group] devotees in Australia would be unacceptable.

Mr Downer said yesterday that officials had again raised the suspected harassment of Falun Gong followers in Australia in private talks this week with a Chinese human rights delegation visiting Canberra.

This was the second time the treatment of the [group] in Australia had been raised with China.

The Chinese Embassy in Canberra has angrily denied complaints that it has been attempting to curb the activities of the [group] that has been banned and suppressed under a sweeping crackdown in China.

It claims Falun Gong has been interfering in the activities of Chinese diplomatic missions through protests and demonstrations.

The Herald has learned that Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade officials earlier this week advised Mr Downer to avoid public comment on the harassment complaints in a bid to avoid friction with Beijing.

However, it is understood that Mr Downer decided it was appropriate to speak out.

"We obviously wouldn't want to see harassment of any Australian citizens in Australia or for that matter anywhere by any embassies or diplomatic officials," he said yesterday.

"We have raised these concerns, that have been raised by some of the Falun Gong practitioners here, in Australia with the Chinese, not only in the past couple of days but also back in May.

"The Chinese Embassy continues to deny this.

"We would not expect anybody to harass Australian citizens either within Australia or outside Australia."

Falun Gong is a combination of Eastern philosophical teachings, meditation, exercise routines and deep breathing. It has attracted millions of followers in China and the Communist Party fears it has become a serious challenge to its monopoly on power. (Editor's note: Falun Gong in fact doesn't not involve special breathing techniques and also is non-political.)

Human rights groups have mounted strong protests over mass detentions, beatings, torture and deaths in custody of [Falun Gong] followers.

The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) and the Australian Federal Police have been monitoring the activities of Chinese diplomats and others linked with the Chinese Embassy in what appears to be a campaign aimed at countering the activities of Falun Gong in Australia and the movement's links with its fellow devotees in China.

There are an estimated 2,000 followers in Australia and many have complained that they have been pressured by Chinese diplomats, followed, their property damaged and phones tapped.

The Herald has confirmed that Chinese diplomats have contacted local government offices and urged officials to deny the [group] the use of community facilities. It is understood that Chinese diplomats have also urged local government libraries to avoid holding the movement's literature.