Senator James Paterson has called on Chinese social media platform WeChat to reconsider its repeated refusals to appear before a Senate committee, warning that the company may face adverse recommendations. Paterson, who chairs the Senate select committee on foreign interference through social media, expressed concern about WeChat’s refusal to cooperate and comply with Australian law. In a letter to WeChat’s head of corporate affairs, legal, Elizabeth Byun, Paterson urged the company to reconsider its decision and highlighted the potential consequences if it continued to decline invitations to appear before the committee.
As WeChat does not have a local presence, its representatives cannot be compelled to appear. However, Paterson emphasized that the committee may draw conclusions about WeChat’s willingness to cooperate with Australian law based on its refusal to engage with the committee’s inquiries. The committee is set to hold hearings with executives from other social media platforms such as Meta (Facebook), LinkedIn, TikTok, Google (including YouTube), and Twitter.
Paterson referenced “compelling evidence” suggesting that WeChat functions as a “narrative machine” for the Chinese Communist Party and raised concerns about allegations of harassment and intimidation of Chinese-Australian human rights activists and their families through the platform. He cited expert testimonies and called for measures to protect Australians from potential infringements on their freedoms.
According to research from the Lowy Institute, WeChat has nearly 700,000 Australian users, with a majority being part of the Chinese diaspora. The platform is widely used among Chinese Australians, with 86% reporting regular or occasional use.
