China's WeChat parent company denies reports of Australian PM's account hacked

Chinese tech company Tencent, the parent company of the country's main messaging app WeChat, denied reports that Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison's account on the platform had been hacked, media reported Tuesday.

Earlier this week, Australian officials called on the country's residents to abandon WeChat after reports that Morrison's account was renamed "Australian-Chinese New Life" and rebranded to provide information about life in Australia to a Chinese audience, according to Sputnik News Agency.

Canberra called the interference 'Chinese meddling' in its affairs, while Beijing advised the Prime Minister and the social media platform to sort of the issue.

"There is no evidence of any hacking or third-party intrusion," Tencent said in a statement, Sputnik News Agency cited Global Times reported.

The company explains that the issue appears to be related to ownership dispute over the account, which was initially launched by a Chinese national and then transferred to its current owner, adding that the account will be managed in line with WeChat rules.

Tencent promises to investigate the issue while reaffirming its commitment to uphold the safety of accounts on the platform, the news agency said further.

( With inputs from ANI )

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