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CHINA-MEDIA-INTERNET
China blocks Australian state broadcaster’s website: ABC
SYDNEY, Sept 3, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – China has blocked access to the website
of Australia’s national broadcaster for breaching Beijing’s internet rules
and regulations, ABC said on Monday.
It comes a year after the Australian Broadcasting Corporation began
running a Chinese-language service.
ABC said access to its website and apps was blocked on August 22 and it
has since been trying to find out why.
After repeated requests for clarification, an official from China’s Office
of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission dictated a statement to the
broadcaster.
“We welcome internet enterprises from all over the world to provide good
information to the netizens of China,” said the official, who declined to
give his name, according to ABC.
“However, state cyber sovereignty rights shall be maintained towards some
overseas websites violating China’s laws and regulations.”
The official said these included websites “spreading rumours, pornographic
information, gambling, violent terrorism and some other illegal harmful
information which will endanger state security and damage national pride”.
ABC said it had not been told what laws it had violated or which content
sparked the ban.
However, ties between Canberra and Beijing have been strained recently
over allegations that China is interfering in Australia’s domestic politics
and using donations to gain access.
The claims infuriated China, which has dismissed local media stories —
including by ABC — about infiltration as hysteria and paranoia.
The ABC also recently reported on Beijing’s push into the Pacific through
“soft diplomacy”, which Australia and New Zealand fear could potentially
upset the strategic balance in the region.
BSS/AFP/MSY/0857 hrs