World News – AU – China « beats » Australia with « horrific » meme, the British Parliament hears

London: UK MPs have sounded the alarm that the country’s businesses could be hit by the same retaliation Australia is witnessing the passage of laws banning the use of Huawei devices on its 5G networks.

And former Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith has called on Boris Johnson’s administration to pass the laws. The « horrific » meme published by the Chinese Communist Party is evidence that China has « beaten up » Australia.

Concern about China’s treatment of Australia was expressed during the debate on legislation for the UK’s proposed Huawei ban.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden started a debate Tuesday morning on the Telecommunications (Security) Act (AEDT), which is significantly tightening the UK’s stance on the Chinese seller and pleasing prominent Chinese hawks who led an internal uprising and enforced the UK ban.

Dowden said starting September next year that all UK networks will have to stop installing new Huawei devices with a full phase out by 2027. Those who break the ban will face fines of up to 100. 000 GBP (181. 000 USD) per day.

The regulatory authority Ofcom is granted increased powers to enter telecommunications provider premises, interview employees and request technical system tests.

« These powers will protect us from both today’s high-risk sellers and the threats of tomorrow, » Dowden told Commons.

While the bill does not name Huawei, Dowden tried to reassure MPs that the Chinese provider was the contemporary target of the legislation.

« First of all, I want to assure you that I have heard you, that I am acting and that I have a clear approach to protecting our national security, » he said.

The bill was supported by the Labor opposition, the Scottish National Party, the Democratic Unionist Party and the Liberal Democrats.

Crucially, it has won the support of the rebel Conservatives, who have reserved the right to change the law to make it tougher if they are not satisfied.

Duncan Smith, who heads the MPs global inter-parliamentary alliance on China, said it was a welcome departure from the « great Kowtow » the Conservative Party was pursuing under former Prime Minister David Cameron and Chancellors George Osborne.

« I want to congratulate you on listening. It is not always something that can be blamed on governments, but this foreign minister and his minister have actually listened to many concerns – they are now embedded in the bill.  » he said.

Duncan Smith said countries like Australia were ahead of the Huawei threat when the then Labor government banned them from the national broadband network and coalition of 5G but was punished for protecting their sovereignty.

He called on the British government to make it clear to China that their tactics could never select individual countries.

« They produced a meme, which I think is a mocked tool on the internet, in which they show something about an Australian soldier trying to kill a child, » he said.

He said Australia was being « beaten up » by the Chinese « in a very undiplomatic and very aggressive manner » for demanding an investigation into the coronavirus pandemic.

« This is appalling behavior and I want my government to be very clear that this behavior is simply unbearable.

« We should do more than stand by [Australia], we should condemn behaviors like that that deliberately target and belittle a democratic nation that upholds the rule of law and human rights, which they [China] fail to do, » he said.

Other MPs called on the government to outline how it could prevent China from taking revenge on British companies like China on Australian wine, coal, lobster and timber producers.

« Given the Australian Government’s recent experience, what can the Minister say on record today to discourage the Chinese government from being tempted to retaliate against Britain in a similar manner? » Tory MP Mark Pritchard asked.

Labor culture spokeswoman Jo Steven said: « The government’s impact assessment does not address the economic impact of potential retaliation. « 

« So can the government explain what steps have been taken to plan this possibility? » she asked.

Latika Bourke is a journalist for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age in London.

Huawei, 5G, UK, telecommunications