Tag: China-Australia Relations

WeChat Only Has a Few Hours Left to Respond to a Parliamentary Inquiry

WeChat has only hours left to respond to an Australian government inquiry after it refused to front a parliamentary inquiry earlier this month. Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Foreign Interference through Social Media, Senator James Paterson, said that he has sent WeChat detailed series of questions after it failed to appear to give…


Worrying About CCP Interference, Australian Councillor Calls for Severing Sister-City Relations With Chinese City

A Western Australian city is considering severing its sister-city relationship with its Chinese counterpart amid concerns that Beijing is using the ties for foreign interference. On July 12, Albany city councillor Thomas Brough sent a notice of motion, calling on Albany to terminate its sister city relationship with Linyi City, Shandong Province in China, which…


Victim of CCP Persecution told to ‘Contribute’ Herself to Beijing’s Live Organ Harvesting Program

A practitioner of the spiritual practice of Falun Gong has recounted the frightening experience of being targeted for live organ harvesting perpetrated by communist officials in China, which she said was reasoned by the jailers to be contributing to the nation. “One night not long after I arrived at the Mishan Brainwashing Center, Li Lijun,…


TikTok Tells Inquiry Chinese-Based Employees Can Make Changes to Algorithm

TikTok officials have admitted to an Australian government inquiry that Chinese-based employees can change the social media app’s algorithm. This is the first time officials from the company have made the admission, which has raised increasing questions about the reach of the Chinese regime into foreign societies through the app. Appearing before the Select Committee on…


TikTok Tells Inquiry China-Based Employees Can Make Changes to Algorithm

TikTok officials have admitted to an Australian government inquiry that China-based employees can change the social media app’s algorithm. This is the first time officials from the company have made the admission, which has raised increasing questions about the reach of the Chinese regime into foreign societies through the app. Appearing before the Select Committee on…


Solomon Islands PM Accuses Australia of Cutting Funding, Says Beijing Will Step-In

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has accused Australia and New Zealand of cutting off aid funding and now says Beijing will step in. Mr. Sogavare made the claims upon his return to Honiara after a week-long visit to China, where he met with communist leadership. The prime minister, who has actively sought to deepen…


Senate Foreign Relations Committee Approves Transfer of Nuclear Submarines to Australia

The U.S. Foreign Relations Senate Committee has triggered the start of the process of attaining U.S. Congressional approval for the United States to temporarily give Australia two nuclear-powered submarines, alongside other measures to deepen further defense sharing with members of the pro-liberty AUKUS defence alliance. In a bipartisan move on July 13, the committee authorized…


‘Worrying Signs’: Treasurer Says Australia Keeping Close Eye on Chinese Economy

Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers warned that global economic uncertainty is expected to slow the Australian economy “considerably,” noting that the Chinese economy was displaying “some worrying signs.” “I’m not going to pretend otherwise. There have been some developments out of China that we are monitoring incredibly closely,” Mr. Chalmers told the national broadcaster ABC’s Insiders…


Australia Urged to Amend Migration Law, Combat CCP’s Forced Organ Harvesting

Australian lawmakers are being urged to pass legislation to help stop Beijing’s heinous crime of forced organ harvesting from prisoners of conscience. On June 22, Migration Amendment (Overseas Organ Transplants Disclosure and Other Measures) Bill 2023, proposed by Senator Dean Smith, was introduced and went through second reading in Parliament. The proposed bill, in an…


Australia Told to Call out CCP Corruption in Pacific

Australia has been told to be bolder about calling out corruption and malign foreign interference in the Pacific to counter the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) increasing influence. The expanding security relationship between Beijing and the Solomon Islands has raised concerns in Canberra, which wants the issue to be primarily dealt with by Pacific nations. The…