Pope Francis, the bishop of Rome and the head of Vatican Church, has changed the church law Monday affirming that the women would now be allowed to read gospels at the Mass, a role which was officially reserved for men, accept few exceptions. However, they would still not serve as priests in churches.
It is pertinent to note here that in the Roman Catholic Church, the priesthood is seen as an exclusively male preserve. Women are not allowed to be ordained as priests.
Meanwhile, in the decree, called Spiritus Domini (The Spirit of the Lord), Pope Francis said he had taken the decision after theological reflection and was making the change to increase recognition of the “precious contribution” women make in the church. However, Pope Francis stressed that these roles were “essentially distinct from the ordained ministry”, meaning that they should not be seen as an automatic precursor to women one day being allowed to be ordained, priests. The Vatican reserved the priesthood for men.
“The pontiff, therefore, has established that women can accede to these ministries and they are attributed by a liturgical function that institutionalises them,” the Vatican said in an explanatory note.
Pope Francis under pressure to allow women to be deacons
The change comes as the Pope remains under pressure to allow women to be deacons, (the ministers who perform many of the same functions as priests, such as presiding at weddings, baptisms and funerals), the position which is currently reserved for men even though historians say the ministry was performed by women in the early church.
According to reports, after the first commission failed to reach a consensus on whether women could be deacons, Francis created a second commission to look into the matter. While those in favour of expanding the diaconate to include women say, doing so would give women a greater say in the ministry and governance of the church, while also helping address priest shortages in several parts of the world. However, the ones opposing the stand opine that allowing it would become a slippery slope toward ordaining women to the priesthood.
Amidst the ongoing agitation against the new farm laws, a group of ‘farmers’ vandalised a Patanjali Ayurved store in Kundli on the Delhi-Haryana border.
In a video that has now surfaced on social media, the protestors were seen gathering outside a Patanjali store and shouting slogans. “Band karo, Band karo (Close it down),” the demonstrators yelled. In a bid to shut down the business establishment, one man was seen tying a chain and lock around the entrance gate.
Following that, the protestors went about sloganeering ‘Ramdev Haye haye (Down with Baba Ramdev)’ and ‘Jo Bole So Nihaal’. They also blackened the poster of Baba Ramdev and marked it with a huge cross.
Now what on earth does ‘Kissan Ekta’ gotta do with Baba Ramdas & Patanjali?? ? pic.twitter.com/iePo76rnqO
The protestors also tried to close down an adjacent government-owned Jan Aushadhi Kendra, which sell medicines at low rates to the poor and underprivileged. Even though the mob physically tried to shut down the businesses in an act of ‘dissent’, a man in the background claimed that they were executing it peacefully. He also alleged that the ‘biased’ media have been portraying farmers in a bad light.
So-called farmers call for a boycott of Baba Ramdev and Patanjali products as they vandalised the store
Exhibiting their anti-corporate sentiments, anti-farm law ‘protestors’ earlier called for a boycott of Baba Ramdev for allegedly being ‘anti-farmer’. They had also warned against the boycott of the products sold by his company, Patanjali. They forcibly shut down businesses, selling Patanjali products, in Tohana town as a mark of ‘resentment’. It was done without realising the losses incurred by the local owners as a result of their actions. Protestors associated with Andolan Vistar Morcha staged a protest outside a Patajani store in Hisar.
‘Protesting farmers’ steal generator set from Jio tower
To protest against corporate owned by Mukesh Ambani, protestors stole generators connected to Reliance Jio telecom towers, and ‘donated’ it to a Gurudwara. In a video that went viral on social media, protestors were seen dragging a generator set on a tractor to the gurdwara after dislodging it from the Jio Tower. The other protestors were seen following the tractor on its way to the Gurdwara.
The ‘protestors’ had been targeting Reliance Jio towers because Congress politicians had been spreading rumours and misinformation that “Ambani and Adani were about to exploit farmers”. Earlier, the protestors at Delhi border were seen urging people not to use Jio sim.
Recently, media reports were rife with Alibaba founder and billionaire business tycoon Jack Ma and his reported disappearance in China. Ma has been off the radar ever since he made deprecating remarks against the Chinese regulators in a summit in October 2020 for their efforts in stifling innovation.
Ma had gone on a tirade against China’s current banking system, the financial regulatory structure of the Communist-ruled country and how it was unsuitable for his fintech giant, Ant group. Ma’s critical remarks for the Communist regime, which demands nothing more than complete and utter obedience, terminated the planned IPO of his fintech giant, Ant Group, on November 3, just two days before it was scheduled to begin trading.
Days after his unflattering opinion of the Chinese authorities, Ma was summoned to a meeting with Communist Party officials. His other venture, Alibaba is also under investigation for monopolistic behaviour, as per a statement released by the Chinese Communist Party’s market supervision arm.
And Ma has not been spotted since October. Ma was conspicuous by his absence when the billionaire was replaced as a judge in the final of his own show—Africa’s Business Heroes, a television contest for budding entrepreneurs—and his photograph was removed from the judging webpage. Apparently, he has also been conspicuously left out of a promotional video.
The grand finale of show ‘Africa’s Business Heroes’ took place in November, shortly after the Chinese tech billionaire had criticised China’s regulators and its state-owned banks. The disappearance of Jack Ma underscores the strained relationship between the billionaire business tycoon and the Chinese authoritarian leader Xi Jinping.
Jinping has been unabashed in wielding power against those he perceives of challenging the dominance and authority of the Chinese Communist Party. The Chinese President has shown little tolerance towards dissenting views and has come down hard against those who have refused to conform to his worldview.
Ma’s disappearance from the public sphere is a part of a bigger design by the CCP to exact compliance and loyalty from individuals who hold great sway in shaping public opinion. It is apposite to note that Jack Ma is not the first high- profile man to have disappeared out of a thin air.
Reportedly, China legalised secret detentions back in 2013. As such, several well-known people from various walks of life including actress Fan Bingbing, ex-Interpol chief Meng Hongwei, businessman and investor Guo Guangchang, and ex-real estate tycoon Ren Zhiqiang were made to disappear. All of them, however, mysteriously reappeared after some time.
Chinese businessman and investor Guo Guangchang
In December 2015, reports emerged that Chinese businessman and investor Guo Guangchang had gone missing. Several social media accounts reported that the founder and chairman of investment conglomerate Fosun International was hustled away by the police at Shanghai’s airport. His disappearance has prompted the companies he oversaw to request a suspension of trade in their respective Hong Kong and Shanghai-listed shares.
Guo Guangchang(Source: South China Morning Post)
Guo subsequently reappeared later and claimed that he had been assisting authorities in an unnamed investigation. No further explanation was offered, though his disappearance came amidst a corruption crackdown started by Xi Jinping after he rose to power in 2012.
Chinese actor Fan Bingbing
The internationally-acclaimed Chinese actress, Fan Bingbing, was another notable celebrity who mysteriously disappeared from the public eye for four months in 2018. The actress, who had appeared in over a dozen Chinese films, as well as in ‘X-Men’ franchise had gone missing from July 2018 to October 2018. She was reportedly detained by provincial authorities in connection with a tax evasion case.
Fan Bingbing(Source: USA Today)
The Chinese authorities had found out that she and her company had evaded 248 million yuan in taxes. After Fan reappeared from her four months of disappearance, she was obsequious to the Chinese government and even thanked them for “vanishing” her.
“It may be trough I encountered in my life or in my work, but this trough is actually a good thing,” she told in an interview to the New York Times. “It has made me calm down and think seriously about what I want to do in my future life,” she said.
Former Interpol chief Meng Hongwei
Meng Hongwei, who was the first Chinese head of Interpol, vanished on a trip back to the country from France in September 2018. He was scheduled to serve as the head of Interpol until 2020, but the organisation said he tendered his resignation days after he had gone missing from China.
Meng Hongwei(Source: BBC.com)
The CCP later confirmed that Hongwei was detained as a part of Xi Jinping’s fight against corruption and was suspected of taking bribes. The party said Meng had misused his position for personal gain, abused state funds to provide his family an “extravagant lifestyle” and ignored Communist Party principles. He was expelled from the party and stripped of all government positions.
According to the Chinese reports, Meng had allegedly admitted of taking more than $2 million in bribes. He was ordered by the Tianjin No 1 Intermediate People’s Court to pay a fine of two million yuan. The court statement also ordered that he would not appeal against the verdict. In January 2020, Meng was sentenced 13 and a half years in jail for accepting bribes.
Ex-real estate tycoon Ren Zhiqiang
More recently, Ren Zhiqiang, a former real estate tycoon and a staunch critic of China’s President Xi Jinping, had gone missing in March 2019 shortly after penning an essay critical of the Chinese Premier.
Ren Zhiqiang (Source: The New York Times)
Though he did not name Xi Jinping in his article, it was widely believed that the ‘clown’ he referred to in his article slamming the Chinese Communist Party for bungling up the response to coronavirus outbreak was meant for Xi Jinping.
The essay was published shortly after Xi Jinping’s televised speech. Ren reportedly wrote, “I too am curiously and conscientiously studying [the] speech… what I saw …[was] not an emperor standing there exhibiting his ‘new clothes’, but a clown who stripped naked and insisted on continuing being emperor.”
Such maverick and critical views earned him the ire of the Chinese Communist Party which had displayed time and again its willingness to clampdown dissent, even among the country’s elites. Ren disappeared days after he wrote the scathing article. Months later, a court in Beijing sentenced Mr Ren to 18 years in prison on Tuesday. The court found Ren guilty of graft, taking bribes, misusing public funds and abusing his power during and after his time as an executive at a property development company.
Ahead of the Republic Day celebrations, anti-farm law protestors have been eyeing to intensify the protests and build pressure on the central government.
As per reports, protestors from Haryana have announced a ‘tractor parade’ to Delhi from its borders on January 26. While speaking about the decision, Haryana BKU president Gurnam Singh Chaduni emphasised, “As per our strategy, all farmer brothers with their tractors should reach Delhi borders by January 24. We will enter Delhi on January 26, even if the police use lathis or bullets. ” He added, “We will break all their (police) barricades to enter Delhi.”
In anticipation of their planned parade, they have scheduled a rehearsal on January 17 on the Dadri-Bhiwani highway and on January 18 in Siwani. Chaduni has been at the forefront of leading protestors from Ambala to Delhi on November 25 by breaking through security barricades placed on Ambala-Delhi national highway to reach Delhi. He warned, “Our next programme will take place on January 26 but if Khattar sahab plans a rally even before it, we will oppose that event too.”
Violent protestors resort to vandalism, disruption of Haryana CM’s meeting
On Sunday, anti-farm law protestors ambushed the Kisan Mahapanchayat programme in Karnal, where Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar was supposed to address a large gathering of 2000 farmers. The protestors first gathered near Bastara toll plaza in Karnal on the Delhi-Chandigarh Highway before making their way to the village. They were successful in breaching 6 checkpoints and reaching the helipad in Kamila village where the CM was supposed to land.
The mob was seen digging up the interlocking tiles and vandalising the helipad, thereby forcing authorities to find an alternate site for the CM’s landing. In a bid to oppose the newly enacted farm laws, they vandalised the venue, tore down banners and flung the chairs. The anti-farm law protestors tore down the tents, forcing Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar to cancel the event.
“Tractor Parade’ may lead to law and order situation in Delhi
While speaking about the vandalism in the Kamila village, Gurnam Singh Chaduni admitted, “Khattar sahab has said, I have got it done. Yes, we have got it done certainly because they (BJP) were holding a programme in Kaimla village parallel to our agitation.” With the public admission of violence in Haryana and the recent threats of breaking police barricades on the occasion of the Republic Day Celebrations, the law and order situation in the National Capital might take a hit.
It is important to note that during the Anti-Hindu Delhi riots of 2020, the rioters unleashed mayhem on the day of Donald Trump’s visit to India. The objective was to strike terror in the National Capital and weaponise violence create a big spectacle at the international level. With Khalistanis peddling separatism, anti-India elements openly hailing Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and advocating violence, the possibility of serious law and order issues cannot be ruled out.
Threats to UK Prime Minister and ‘delusional beliefs’
To add to fears of an impending episode of violence on Republic Day, the anti-farm law protestors from Punjab had claimed ‘political win’ for themselves after British PM Boris Johnson cancelled his visit to India. A statement released by Sanyukt Kisan Morcha claimed that the British PM cancelled his visit to India because of the upcoming ‘tractor’ parade.
Boris Johnson, British PM, was to be the chief guest at the Republic Day celebration. Amid the covid crisis, British PM wrote to PM Modi and expressed his inability to visit India as he has to oversee vaccination drive and other aspects related to the pandemic.
The protesting ‘farmers’ from Punjab, however, wanted to believe it is because of their roadblocks at various Delhi borders that the British PM has cancelled his visit. Given their ‘delusional beliefs’ of being able to influence governments of other countries, coupled with threats of police defiance, the protestors seem to be setting the stage for violence on January 26
Amidst the ongoing protests against the historic farm laws enacted by the Union government, the protestors from Punjab have set up a mobile museum at Singhu border, depicting the history of Sikhism.
As per reports, the museum has been brought from Mohali in Punjab to educate the young generation about Sikh history. Parvinder Singh, the founder of the museum, said, “There should be a museum that can educate our youth generation about the history of Sikhism.”
Delhi: A mobile museum depicting Sikh history has been brought to farmers’ protest site at Singhu Border from Mohali.
Museum founder Parvinder Singh, a resident of Mohali, says, “There should be a museum that can educate our youth generation about history of Sikhism”. (11.01) pic.twitter.com/pRX8Kqjvgd
The museum shows how Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur was tortured and then beheaded by Mughal invader Aurangzeb when he refused to convert to Islam.
The Islamic persecution of Sikhs
The barbaric nature of the Mughals is exemplified by the fact that the 5th Sikh Guru Arjan Singh was tortured to death by making him sit on a burning sheet while boiling hot sand was poured from the top. It was executed on the orders of Mughal tyrant Jahangir in 1606. He was imprisoned in the Lahore Fort where he was tortured and executed.
Similarly, 9th Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur was beheaded in 1675 on the commands of Aurangzeb for taking up the cause of Kashmiri Pandits and refusing to convert to Islam. Gurudwara Sis Ganj in Delhi is the place where he was beheaded and Gurudwara Rakab Ganj in Delhi is where he was cremated.
Prior to this tragic event, Bhai Mati Das was sawed in half by Aurangzeb’s soldiers and Bhai Dayala boiled alive in oil. Notably, 10th Sikh Guru Gobind Singh’s young sons named Sahibzada Baba Zorawar Singh and Sahibzada Baba Fateh Singh were bricked alive after they refused to convert to Islam.
Congress MLA from Harchandpur in Rae Bareli, Rakesh Singh, has felicitated the district convener of the Hindu Yuva Vahini for throwing ink at the face of senior Aam Aadmi Party leader Somnath Bharti after Bharti’s shocking conduct. Singh also heaped praises on Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath and said that there is no CM who is as honest and venerable.
Rakesh Singh said that no harm had come to Somnath Bharti for having ink thrown at him. And at the same time, the former Delhi Law Minister had been given a befitting reply for his deplorable comments against Yogi Adityanath. He also called Yogi ‘Devtulya’ (Godlike) and that he had decided to felicitate the Hindu Yuva Vahini functionary for answer Bharti in the language he deserved.
The HYV functionary was awarded Rs. 51,000 and a garland for saving the honour of Rae Bareli and Hindu Samaj. Somnath Bharti has been sent to judicial custody for 14 days after misbehaving with police officials and issuing death threats against Yogi Adityanath. The Hindu Yuva Vahini is an outfit established by Yogi Adityanath to protect Hindu interests.
“Nothing is going to happen from this. Yogi Adityanath’s death is assured. You have helped the attacker escape. You need to understand this. Tell Yogi Adityanath he would not achieve from such attacks,” Somnath Bharti had said on Monday.
“I will get you sacked. Bear this in mind. I can identify all of you. I will get all the officers who are trying to stop me today sacked,” said Somnath Bharti while threatening the police officer who stopped him from leaving the guesthouse.
It is also pertinent to mention that the Congress party appears to be losing its grip on Rae Bareli. 35 office bearers including former Congress secretary and former district in-charge and current PCC member Shiv Kumar Pandey had resigned from the party in rebellion.
An upcoming playback singer Renu Sharma has levelled some serious allegations against NCP leader and a minister in Uddhav Thackeray’s cabinet Dhananjay Panditrao Munde and the Maharashtra police. Renu has taken to the microblogging site to share a copy of complaint she has filed against the minister, accusing him of rape and blackmail. She also accused Maharashtra police of being apathetic towards her case.
Police not accepting complaint against the NCP leader
The singer took to her official Twiter handle to share the copy of the complaint she has lodged with Mumbai police against the NCP leader. Tagging Mumbai police, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and his daughter Supriya Sule, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, BJP leader and former Maha CM Devendra Fadnavis and PM Narendra Modi in her Tweet, Renu Sharma has accused Oshiwara police station officials of not accepting her complaint against Munde. She claims that her life is in danger and has sought help.
Victim accuses NCP leader Dhananjay Munde of rape and blackmail
According to the copy of the complaint, the singer has accused Dhananjay Panditrao Munde, who she claims is her brother-in-law, of sexual assault and rape under the pretext of marriage and blackmail.
Renu Sharma’s complain copy
The victim’s allegations
Renu Sharma has written that she was first introduced to Dhananjay Panditrao Munde in 1997 in his house in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. She was around 16-17 years old then. As per the complaint, Dhananjay Munde had married Renu’s sister Karuna in 1998. In the year 2003, when Karuna was pregnant with Dhananjay Munde’s child and had gone to Indore, Dhananjay Munde started visiting Renu Sharma’s house as he knew she was alone.
Sharma has alleged that Munde had raped her when there were no family members at her home and for the next several days, had exploited her sexually. He also filmed the act one day without her consent, wrote Renu in her complaint, furthering that after that day, the NCP leader started calling her regularly. He made her believe that he was in love with her. He also lured her under the pretext of getting her a break in Bollywood as a playback singer. He told her that he was in touch with many Bollywood directors and producers and would introduce her to them.
Sharma has alleged that Munde has been repeatedly exploiting her sexually by luring her with bright prospects in Bollywood.
The singer has now approached the police with a complaint against the NCP leader and cabinet minister under IPC sections 376 (being a public servant, takes advantage of his official position and commits rape on a woman), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 403 (dishonest misappropriation of property), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 313 (conviction for causing miscarriage), 328 (causing hurt by means of poison) and IT Act 2003.
Controversies and allegations against Dhananjay Munde
The NCP leader has a contentious past. In 2019, an FIR had been lodged against NCP leader Dhananjay Munde for allegedly making obscene comments against his estranged cousin and former Maharashtra minister Pankaja Munde at an election rally. A video purportedly showing the NCP leader making the remarks against the minister went viral on social media following which a BJP functionary from Parli in Beed district filed a police complaint against him. The leader had, however, said the clip was edited and fake, and his remarks were “distorted” to project him as a “villain” by his rivals to win elections.
In 2018, a controversial video, on his alleged corrupt practices had also gone viral. The audio clip aired on a regional TV channel reportedly showed discussions between two persons stating about money to be handed over to Dhananjay to close a calling attention motion over a certain issue.
The Indian Army Monday rebutted media reports that claimed that the encounter in Shopian region’s Amshipora village in July last year was driven by a ‘cash reward’ of Rs 20 lakhs. The Srinagar-based spokesperson for the Indian Army clarified that there was no system of cash rewards for its personnel for any acts in combat situations or otherwise in the line of duty.
Media reports that Amshipora encounter actions were driven by Rs 20 lakh award for the killing of terrorists are malafide. Indian Army has no system of cash awards for its personnel for any acts in combat situations or otherwise in the line of duty: Defence PRO, Srinagar
The clarification from the Defence PRO, Srinagar came following several media reports claimed a Captain Bhupinder Singh of the Indian Army allegedly faked an encounter for money. Three terrorists were killed in the July 18 encounter in Shopian. As per media reports, Capt Bhupinder Singh was named as the accused in the police chargesheet filed in December 2020.
Report on the ‘staged Shopian encounter’ published by News 18 on January 10
Report on the ‘staged Shopian encounter’ published by Hindustan Times on January 11
The report by Hindutan Times quoted agency PTI as saying: “By staging the encounter, Capt Bhoopendra Singh of 62 RR and two other civilians also purposefully destroyed evidence of the real crime that they have committed and also have been purposefully projecting false information as part of a criminal conspiracy hatched between them with motive to grab prize money of ₹20 lakh,” news agency PTI quoted from the police charge sheet.
Report by Outlook dated January 10, 2021
These reports were widely shared on the microblogging site, with many rebuking the India Army for faking an encounter in lieu of a bribe.
3 youth lives for just 20 lakhs. God. Terrorist in uniform not civilians. Our Kashmiri civilians are bearing too much since long. Those stone throwing incidents happen without reason ? No !
nothing surprised indian army have killed 1000s of kashmiris in fake encounters that is why they need AFSPA #HeightOfCowardice when a combatant kills unarmed kids !!
Bollywood entertainer Swara Bhaskar was quick to join the rat race. She too shared the news published by the Hindustan Times to disgrace the India Army.
Swara Bhaskar’s Tweet
Following a flood of reports and social media posts spreading uninformed rumours on the Indian Army, the latter issued a statement junking the malicious and false news.
Srinagar-based Defence spokesperson Col Rajesh Kalia said in a brief statement: “There are media reports quoting that Amshipora encounter actions were driven by a Rs 20 lakh award for the killing of terrorists. It is clarified that the Indian Army has no system of cash awards for its personnel for any acts in combat situations or otherwise in the line of duty”. It said the reports are “not based on facts of the processes internal to Indian Army”.
The Covishield vaccine today left the Serum Institute of India facility in Pune and were taken to different parts of India. This is how the box of vials looked.
Covishield vaccines (image courtesy: @ANI on Twitter)
A sticker on the box reads ‘सर्वे संतु निरामयः’. It means may all be free from disease. Indeed.
When 2020 started we did not know how the world as we know it will be changed forever. When initial reports of the mysterious illness from China were pouring in, we were dealing with our own internal virus of misinformation and violent protests which eventually culminated into riots.
We all thought that as Indians our immunity is much stronger. After all, most of us recover from vector-borne diseases like malaria, chikungunya without major health issues. So, of course, we’ll be able to fight out this flu.
After the initial denial, however, when the disease finally landed here and spread at terrifying rate, things changed. The lockdown happened.
There was so much misinformation around the new Chinese virus. Some people believed it was a hoax created by government of India to send Muslims to detention centres. Because of such rumours and misinformation, healthcare workers were attacked when they went to collect samples.
But amid all this, while we came to terms with the virus unleashed upon us, some of the smartest brains around the world were working hard to find a vaccine.
There was hope again.
Soon, there were trials of vaccine. We had gone from infection to vaccine in less than a year.
Some people are apprehensive that how can we trust a vaccine ready in a year when it usually takes decades of hard work and research.
Well, it is indeed true that vaccine development takes years, but then extraordinary time like Chinese coronavirus called for extraordinary measures. Millions of dollars were spent and man hours were put in collectively for this vaccine to develop. Surely they know a thing or two more about virus than you and I.
And along with rest of the world, Indian scientists wee also putting all their might behind this vaccine. We have our very first made in India vaccine. A time has come when this ‘third world country’ is showing the way to so-called first world countries who can’t even get their transfer of power in place.
And now, the time has arrived.
Vaccines are ready. They have reached the states. On 16th, the frontline workers, the most vulnerable of the lot, will get the vaccines.
In less than one year of the first ever coronavirus case being detected in India.
The Australian government has decided to block an AUD 300 million takeover offered by a Chinese state-owned company for a local building contractor named Probuild. The government has cited National Security as the grounds of negative assessment. On January 1, tough new foreign investment rules (FIRB) came into force, and this decision is the first by Canberra under the new rules.
With FIRB, Canberra has greater powers to review proposed investments by foreign bidders. It will ensure compliance with approval conditions laid down by the government and has the power to order divestment.
Hans Hendrischke, a professor of Chinese business and management at the University of Sydney Business School, said that the decision is a sign of tougher scrutiny of Chinese investment in the country. He said, “The Treasurer’s rejection of the takeover bid for the South African-owned Probuild by China State Construction Engineering Corporation is a sign of tougher scrutiny of Chinese investment under the new FIRB regulations which now incorporate national security as a specific element in the screening process.”
He further added that Canberra might have blocked China State Construction Engineering Corporation Ltd. (CSCEC) after Washington decided to list it on “Communist Chinese military companies” in August last year. Washington had barred US investors from owning shares in the listed companies.
Australia had barred Huawei 2018
In 2018, the Australian government had barred Huawei from providing 5G equipment in the country. Later in 2020, Huawei announced that it had cut ties with the Canberra raiders. At that time the company cited the ban on 5G equipment and the Australian government’s attitude towards the Chinese companies.
Australia’s call for an inquiry in Wuhan outbreak
In May 2020, Australia, along with members of the European Union, had called for an independent inquiry into the Covid-19 outbreak in Wuhan. In December last year, Australia had again insisted on WHO inquiry into Covid’s origin. It said that it expects, “robust, independent and comprehensive evaluation of the Covid-19 response, and to strengthen WHO’s ability to prevent, mitigate and respond to future pandemics.”
Fall of Chinese investment in Australia
After Australia banned Huawei from providing 5G equipment in Australia and introduced foreign interference laws, the Chinese investment in the country has declined. As per the report issued by the University of Sydney Business school and KPMG, in 2018, Chinese companies had invested AUD 8.2 Billion, which came down to AUD 3.4 Billion in 2019.
‘It’s all political’, says Simon Gray, Probuild’s executive chairman
Simon Gray, Probuild’s executive chairman, said that the decision made by Canberra is political. He claimed that his company undertook less sensitive work compared to rival John Holland that was acquired by China Communications Construction Company in 2015 for AUD 1 Billion. He said, “It’s more politics than anything else. No one can give us a real reason why we’re a national security risk. It’s a joke.”
Buildings that Probuild has raised include Victorian Police headquarters and Melbourne headquarters of biotech company CSL, producing the Covid-19 vaccine. It is believed that these factors were also considered during the review.
Frydenberg’s office refused to comment
A spokesperson for Treasurer Frydenberg said that the government does not comment on the applications of the foreign investment screening arrangements.
CSCEC has withdrawn the offer after Canberra’s review.
