Federal Parliament urges ‘lockdown’ of electronic devices during Chinese VIP Zhao Leji’s visit
Politicians and their staff have been urged to shut doors and blinds and place their phones and iPads in “lockdown mode” during a visit to Parliament House this week by a senior Chinese Communist Party official.
Zhao Leji, the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China, is visiting Canberra for a series of meetings, after arriving in Brisbane over the weekend.
Flying into Canberra’s Fairburn airport on Monday, Chairman Zhao was greeted by a delegation led by Labor MP Carina Garland, the Chair of the Australia-China Parliamentary Country group, as well as cheering supporters waving Chinese flags.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Ahead of Chairman Zhao’s arrival at Parliament House, the Department of Parliamentary Services (DPS) formally advised building occupants of disruptions that could be expected during his brief visit.
In advice sent to parliamentary offices on Monday morning, DPS advised staff to use “alternative routes and follow the direction of Parliamentary security officers” to “ensure a smooth visit and clear routes”.
“Suites and offices adjacent to the delegation movements may wish to ensure doors and blinds are closed during the visit for privacy,” DPS said in a message seen by The Nightly.
“There may be intermittent disruptions to Wi-Fi access during the periods outlined above. Within the identified areas, internet connected devices including phones, tablets and laptops should be powered down.
“Where devices must be used, please ensure phones and iPads are updated with the latest software version and placed in lockdown mode, and laptops should have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth switched off.”
The DPS advice does not specify the reasons for the electronic precautions, but in recent weeks Australia’s domestic spy chief has repeated warned of sophisticated hacking efforts by Beijing against this country.
Earlier this month ASIO Director General Mike Burgess accused China of conducting “wholesale intellectual property theft” and warned state sponsored hacking groups in Beijing could disrupt critical infrastructure.
The Nightly approached the country’s cyber spy agency for comment on the security measures, but an Australian Signals Directorate spokesperson said: “consistent with longstanding practice, ASD does not comment on matters of intelligence and security”.
Senior figures in the intelligence community admit the move is unusual but point out similar precautions were taken as far back as a 2017 visit to Canberra by then Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.
Parliament’s two presiding offices, Speaker Milton Dick and Senate President Sue Lines, have both declined to comment but shadow cybersecurity minister Claire Chandler has expressed concerns about the development.
“It’s incredibly concerning that parliamentarians and their offices are expected to go to extreme lengths like locking down or shutting down devices and disabling Wi-Fi just to protect our data in Parliament House during this visit from Zhao Leji.”
“ASIO has warned that China state-backed actors are targeting Australia’s critical infrastructure, and Parliament House is the heart of our democracy. We’ve already seen CCP-linked cyberattacks on parliamentarians, including myself.
“It’s fair to expect all parliamentarians to be vigilant about their own cybersecurity, but the measures in place today go far beyond what’s usually expected for a visiting delegation. It’s a stark reminder of the reality of the cyber threats we’re facing.”
On Monday Chairman Zhao called on Governor General Sam Mostyn at Government House before he was set to head to Parliament House for a formal dinner with the presiding officers.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will host the powerful Chinese visitor for breakfast at Parliament House on Tuesday, before he visits the National Gallery of Australia, and is then formally farewelled from Canberra.
At Parliament House on Monday there was a heavily armed Australian Federal Police presence as rival groups supporting and opposing the Chinese VIP gathered on the lawns outside.
