Tag: China-Australia Relations

WeChat’s Claims of Protecting User Data Misleading: Report

Cybersecurity firm Internet 2.0 claims the rapidly deteriorating legal status of Hong Kong has undermined any claims by Chinese social media app WeChat that user data is being protected. On Sept. 30, 2020, WeChat made a written submission to the Australian Parliamentary Select Committee on Foreign Interference through Social Media, claiming that user data was…


WeChat Data Not Protected: Report

Cybersecurity firm Internet 2.0 claims the rapidly deteriorating legal status of Hong Kong has undermined any claims by Chinese social media app WeChat that user data is being protected. On Sept. 30, 2020, WeChat made a written submission to the Australian Parliamentary Select Committee on Foreign Interference through Social Media, claiming that user data was…


Australian Foreign Minister to Visit Solomons Amid Concerns of Beijing Security Deal

Australia’s Labor Foreign Minister Penny Wong will visit the Solomon Islands in the coming days amid increasingly strained ties with Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare over a contentious security deal with Beijing. This will be the third trip to the Pacific region by Wong who will also visit New Zealand, following earlier visits to Fiji, as…


Australian PM Calls on Beijing to Stop Economic Coercion Before Bilateral Ties Can Resume

New Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called on Beijing to drop its coercive trade restrictions before considering a reset of bilateral ties. “It is China that has imposed sanctions on Australia,” Albanese told reporters on June 13. “They need to remove those sanctions in order to improve relations between Australia and China.” The prime…


Beijing Told to Stop Economic Coercion Before Bilateral Ties With Australia Can Resume

New Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called on Beijing to drop its coercive trade restrictions before considering a reset of bilateral ties. “It is China that has imposed sanctions on Australia,” Albanese told reporters on June 13. “They need to remove those sanctions in order to improve relations between Australia and China.” The prime…


US Marines Put to the Test in Australia’s Top End

Amid the backdrop of the United States and Australia strengthening military co-operation while tensions in the Indo-Pacific ramp up, U.S. Marines are currently undertaking protection and evacuation training in Australia’s Northern Territory. The group, part of a contingent of more than 2,000 marines based in Darwin until October, are stationed on Bathurst Island, part of…


Australian Deputy Prime Minister Open to More Talks With China

Australia is open to further diplomatic meetings with Beijing, with Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles indicating the door was still open to more discussions. Marles said there was a long way to go before regular communication with China restarted, but noted that resumption of ministerial talks was an important first step. The defence minister spoke…


China Breaks Diplomatic Freeze: Defence Minister Initiates High Level Talks With Australia

China has broken its freeze on diplomatic relations with Australia with the Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe hosting Australia’s new deputy prime minister and minister for defence, Richard Marles, for dinner. Marles said the meeting, which took place in Singapore on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue defence summit on Sunday, was a welcomed one and allowed Australia’s…


Beijing Only Needs to “Win Once” in South Pacific Contest: Former Intelligence Agency Boss

Australia needs to push China back “every time” in the South Pacific contest while Beijing only needs to win once to achieve its goal, warns the former head of Australia’s spy agency. The comment comes as Australia and China continue jostling for influence in the South Pacific, with Anthony Albanese recently making his first trip…


Australia’s New Government to Be ‘Respectful’ to Beijing: Defence Minister

The new Australian centre-left Labor government will soften its language with China’s ruling communist party (CCP) to adopt a “respectful” tone, says new defence minister Richard Marles—implying a lack of respect from the former centre-right government, which was unabashed to call out the CCP’s bullying of Australia. Speaking in Singapore at the Shangri-La Dialogue defence summit on…