Tag: Australia

Chinese hackers used Facebook to target Uighurs in Australia, elsewhere
26Mar By Grace TsoiNo Comments
China, World

Chinese hackers used Facebook to target Uighurs in Australia, elsewhere

A group of hackers in China who used Facebook to target Uighurs living abroad, including in Australia, with links to malware that would infect their devices and enable surveillance were blocked, the social media company, Facebook, said on Thursday.It said the hackers, known as Earth Empusa or Evil Eye in the security industry, targeted activists, journalists and dissidents who were predominantly Uighurs.Facebook said there were fewer than 500 targets, who were largely from the Xinjiang region but were primarily living abroad in countries including Turkey, Kazakhstan, the United States, Syria, Australia and Canada.It said the majority of the hackers’ activity occurred away from Facebook and that they used the site to share links to malicious websites rather than directly sharing the malware
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India, Australia can work together on open, secure Indo-Pacific: Australian PM Scott Morrison
19Feb By Grace TsoiNo Comments
China, World

India, Australia can work together on open, secure Indo-Pacific: Australian PM Scott Morrison

After having a brief talk with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday said that both New Delhi and Canberra can work together on common challenges including COVID-19 and a secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific.“Great to talk to my good friend PM Narendra Modi again. As Comprehensive Strategic Partners, we can work together on common challenges including COVID-19, the circular economy, oceans and an open, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific. We also discussed progress of our media platform bill,” Scott Morrison said in a tweet.On Thursday, Prime Minister Modi had tweeted that he discussed regional issues of common interest with Morrison and reiterated their commitment to consolidating New Delhi and Canberra Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.The
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India destroying China’s Kra canal dreams; US, Australia joins the party
30Sep By Nectar GanNo Comments
Politics

India destroying China’s Kra canal dreams; US, Australia joins the party

India, Australia, and the USA - three of the four integral members of the Quad have shown interest to invest in the Kra Canal project which is considered to be a viable option for the Thailand government after rejecting China’s proposal for the same.According to media reports, a parliamentary panel in Thailand claimed several nations including India, Australia, the U.S.A, had shown an interest in constructing a canal across southern Thailand.China too had been looking to construct a 120-kilometer mega canal cutting through the isthmus of Kra in Thailand, that could help Beijing in solving the ‘Malacca Dilemma’ as it would have opened the South China Sea to the Indian Ocean, bypassing the Strait of Malacca.However, the Thailand government, after facing flak from the public for even entertai
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Five Eyes alliance question postponement of Hong Kong Legislative Council elections
28Aug By Grace TsoiNo Comments
World

Five Eyes alliance question postponement of Hong Kong Legislative Council elections

The Five Eyes alliance have expressed concern after the Hong Kong government disqualified candidates and postponed elections of Legislative Council.In a joint statement, the foreign secretaries of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom and the United States (the Five Eyes), said that the Hong Kong government’s decision have undermined the democratic process that has been fundamental to the city’s stability and prosperity.“We the Foreign Ministers of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, and the United States Secretary of State are gravely concerned by the Hong Kong government’s unjust disqualification of candidates and disproportionate postponement of Legislative Council elections,” the statement read.“We express deep concern at Beijing’s imposition of the new Nat
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Hope China will follow 2016 South China Sea arbitral award: Australian envoy
19Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

Hope China will follow 2016 South China Sea arbitral award: Australian envoy

Following Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Weidong’s remarks, Australian High Commissioner Barry O’Farrell has said that he hopes Beijing will follow the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award and refrain from actions that unilaterally alter the status quo.“Thank you @China_Amb_India. I would hope then you follow the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award which is final and binding under international law, and also generally refrain from actions that unilaterally alter the status quo,” O’Farell tweeted.Earlier, Chinese Ambassador to India, Sun Weidong expressed discontent on the remarks made by O’Farrell on the South China Sea, saying Beijing’s territorial sovereignty, maritime rights and interests conform with the international law.“Remarks by Australian HC to India on the South China Sea disreg
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Australia rejects China’s claims to historic rights in South Chins Sea: Barry O’Farrell
15Aug By Grace TsoiNo Comments
World

Australia rejects China’s claims to historic rights in South Chins Sea: Barry O’Farrell

Australian High Commissioner to India Barry O'Farrell has said that Australia is deeply concerned by destabilizing actions in the South China Sea and that “Australia rejects China's claims to historic rights and internal waters in relation to the South China Sea”.O'Farrell also lodged a note with UN Secretary-General in July refusing China's unlawful maritime claims."We remain deeply concerned by actions in the South China Sea that are destabilizing and could provoke escalation. Last week, Australia launched a note with UN Secretary-General refusing China's unlawful maritime claims in the South China Sea," he said."Following a 2016 tribunal which ruled against China's claims, Australia rejects China's claims to historic rights and internal waters," he added.The Australian government has re
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AUSMIN 2020: US-Australia reaffirm commitment to Quad consultation with India, counter China
15Aug By Grace TsoiNo Comments
World

AUSMIN 2020: US-Australia reaffirm commitment to Quad consultation with India, counter China

At the 30th Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) 2020, both the countries reaffirmed their commitment to trilateral dialogues with Japan and Quad consultations with Japan and India."The Secretaries and Ministers reaffirmed that the Indo-Pacific is the focus of the Alliance and that the United States and Australia are working side-by-side, including with ASEAN, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Five Eyes partners, to strengthen our networked structure of alliances and partnerships to maintain a region that is secure, prosperous, inclusive, and rules-based," a joint statement released on the occasion said.US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Mark Esper hosted Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne and Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds o...
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China suspends extradition treaties with Canada, Australia, Britain
14Aug By Grace TsoiNo Comments
World

China suspends extradition treaties with Canada, Australia, Britain

Angered over Canada, Australia and Britain’s decision to suspend extradition treaties with China, Beijing, in a tit-for-tat move has announced the suspension of Hong Kong's extradition treaties with the three countries. Canada, Australia and Britain are part of the 'Five Eyes' intelligence alliance. The other members, New Zealand, which suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong earlier, and the United States, which has signaled it is preparing to do the same."The wrong action of Canada, Australia and the UK in politicizing judicial cooperation with Hong Kong has seriously hurt the basis of judicial cooperation," Hong Kong Free Press quoted Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin as saying."China has decided to suspend extradition treaties between Hong Kong and Canada, Australi
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Australia backs US in declaring Chinese claims over South China Sea ‘illegal’
5Aug By Grace TsoiNo Comments
World

Australia backs US in declaring Chinese claims over South China Sea ‘illegal’

In a formal declaration to the United Nations, Australia has backed the United States in declaring Beijing’s territorial claims in the South China Sea as illegal, aligning itself more closely with Washington in the escalating row.Australia said there was "no legal basis" to several disputed Chinese claims in the sea including those related to the construction of artificial islands on small shoals and reefs."There is no legal basis for China to draw straight baselines connecting the outermost points of maritime features or 'island groups' in the South China Sea, including around the 'Four Sha' or 'continental' or 'outlying' archipelagos."Australia rejects China's claim to 'historic rights' or 'maritime rights and interests' as established in the 'long course of historical practice' in the S
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Australia-China spat exposes China’s flawed judiciary
12Jul By Grace TsoiNo Comments
World

Australia-China spat exposes China’s flawed judiciary

China’s deep-rooted flaws in its judicial systems was exposed to the whole world when a Chinese court ruled an Australian citizen to death for allegedly carrying drugs on June 13.Karm Gilespie, a Sydney-based actor turned investment consultant, in his mid-fifties, was arrested on New Year's Eve in 2013 at Baiyun Airport in Guangzhou, Southern China on charges of trying to board an international flight with more than 7.5 kilograms of methamphetamine (also known as meth or crystal meth), a recreational drug in his checked-in luggage.This was the first time since the world learned of him being secretly held in jail for seven years. The development further damaged the increasingly troubled diplomatic and trade relations between Australia and China.Australia described the death sentence imposed
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