News report: Australian leader's WeChat account taken over
ABC News
A newspaper has reported Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s account on Chinese-owned social media platform WeChat has been taken over and renamed
CANBERRA, Australia -- Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s account on Chinese-owned social media platform WeChat was taken over and renamed, and a lawmaker on Monday accused China's leaders of political interference.
Morrison’s 76,000 WeChat followers were notified his page had been renamed “Australian Chinese new life” earlier this month and his photograph had been removed, Sydney’s The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported. The changes were made without the government’s knowledge, the report said.
Morrison’s office declined to comment on the report.
Joint Parliamentary Committee on Intelligence and Security Chair James Paterson said WeChat has not replied to an Australian government request that the prime minister's account be restored.