MPs Told to Turn Off Phones, Devices During Visit by CCP No. 3 Amid Hacking Fears

An internal email urged MPs to shut down devices, disable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and keep laptops offline while the delegation moved through Parliament House.

CCP leader Xi Jinping (L) drinks tea as Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Zhao Leji speaks at the end of the closing session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China on March 11, 2024. Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images

In an unprecedented move, Australian MPs and parliamentary staff have been told to switch off their phones or power down devices during a visit by the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) third highest ranking leader.

An internal email from the Department of Parliamentary Services (DPS) set out strict instructions ahead of the Nov. 24 visit by Zhao Leji, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress.