Tag: Beijing Olympics

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Canadian group finds security flaws in Beijing Olympics app

The cybersecurity group noted that the app is “straightforward” about the sorts of information it gathers from users….reports Asian Lite News

The Beijing Winter Olympics app, ‘My2022’ mandated for use by all Game attendees, contains security issues that might lead to data breaches, according to Canadian cybersecurity group Citizen Lab, which issued a warning on Tuesday, reported Sputnik.

“MY2022 … has a simple but devastating flaw where encryption protecting users’ voice audio and file transfers can be trivially sidestepped. Health customs forms which transmit passport details, demographic information, and medical and travel history are also vulnerable. Server responses can also be spoofed, allowing an attacker to display fake instructions to users,” the group said in its press release.

Furthermore, the cybersecurity group noted that the app is “straightforward” about the sorts of information it gathers from users.

“However, as the app collects a range of highly sensitive medical information, it is unclear with whom or which organization(s) it shares this information,” the group added, reported the news agency.

In addition to this, the group said that the application also has features that allow its users to report “politically sensitive” content.

“The app also includes a censorship keyword list, which, while presently inactive, targets a variety of political topics including domestic issues such as Xinjiang and Tibet as well as references to Chinese government agencies,” the group concluded.

Last week media outlets reported that the Netherlands, the United States and a number of other Western countries warned their athletes of cybersecurity concerns during the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

The concerned countries urged their athletes to use disposable phones, or to use virtual private networks (VPNs) and to delete all personal data from gadgets, reported the news agency.

“Respective countries are letting the pot calling the kettle black while raising the issue of so-called ‘cybersecurity’ of China, these are unjustified speculations,” Quoting Zhao, Sputnik News Speculation said in a briefing, commenting on the reports.

Meanwhile,Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Zhao Lijian called Western countries’ statements regarding cybersecurity threats to athletes’ personal mobile phones, laptops and tablets during the 2022 Winter Olympics unjustified speculations.

The 2022 Winter Olympics will be held in Beijing from February 4-20. (ANI)

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North Korea to skip Beijing Winter Olympics

2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing will be held from February 4-20. The massive security deployment and checks are being carried out by China soon before the Beijing Winter Olympics….reports Asian Lite News

North Korea will not take part in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics over the activities of “hostile forces” and the COVID-19 pandemic, Russian news agency reported citing North Korean media on Friday.

“We could not take part in the Olympics due to the hostile forces’ moves and the worldwide pandemic, but we would fully support the Chinese comrades in all their work to hold splendid and wonderful Olympic festival,” Sputnik reported citing KCNA news agency.

The KCNA has cited a letter from the North Korean Olympic Committee and the Ministry of Physical Culture and Sports to the Chinese Olympic Committee.

The 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing will be held from February 4-20. The massive security deployment and checks are being carried out by China soon before the Beijing Winter Olympics.

Meanwhile, in an effort to conduct Winter Olympics next month hassle-free, China is adamant about implementing a Zero-COVID policy, further complicating problems for its citizens.

China had welcomed the year 2022 with the worst tally of COVID-19 cases for any seven-day period since subduing the country’s first epidemic nearly two years ago.

The worst situation is said to be found in Xi’an town and since December, it is in the grip of a COVID-19 wave, according to Hong Kong Post.

For over two weeks now, Xi’an’s 13 million residents are confined to their homes.

Only one person per household is allowed to leave home every two days to buy essential goods. Nobody can leave the city whatever the circumstances. The process of seeking permission is cumbersome, according to Hong Kong Post. (ANI)

The US, the UK, Australia, Canada and Lithuania have announced the diplomatic boycott of games.

Protests across Europe

Demonstrations were held in several cities in Europe against China hosting the 2022 Winter Olympics. The protesters demanded a boycott of the upcoming event as Beijing is committing atrocities against Muslim minorities in Xinjiang province.

Belgium Uyghur Association along with groups of Tibet and Hong Kong protested against the Beijing Winter Olympics in front of the European Union office and also took out a protest march to the Chinese embassy in Brussels.

Small demonstrations also took place in Antwerp, Brisbane, Berlin, Lucerne, and London – among others – on what has been called a “day of action” by campaigners.

“Our protest today together with groups of Tibet & Hongkong in front of EU commission and 5 km march to Embassy of China in Brussels while a debate was going on regarding the #Beijing2022 in Brussels Press Club attended by @stoop_k from @UyghurCongress & @EU_today,” tweeted Belgium Uyghur Association.

Earlier, the Local Uyghur community in Belgium’s Antwerp city protested against Beijing’s action against Uyghurs in China’s Xinjiang province and appealed to European countries to boycott the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympics.

Led by local leaders of the Uyghur community in Antwerp, the protestors raised slogans against China and demanded that all atrocities against the Uygur community be stopped by Chinese authorities.

Further, they appealed to all European countries to boycott Winter Olympics to be held in Beijing.

Beijing Winter Olympics is scheduled in February and the US and many other countries have started boycotting the event and the calls for its boycott are growing louder. (ANI)

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Putin to attend Beijing Winter Olympics

Russian President’s remarks came as a growing number of countries have joined a diplomatic boycott of the games….reports Asian Lite News

Russian President Vladimir Putin has pledged to attend the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, making him the first major western leader to confirme his attendance at the games, BBC reported.

His remarks came in a video call with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who said he looked forward to a “get-together”.

It comes as a growing number of countries have joined a diplomatic boycott of the games.

This is due to alleged human rights abuses in China, which Beijing denies, the BBC report added.

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“I would like to point out that we always support each other when it comes to international sports cooperation, including our position against attempts to politicise sports and the Olympic Movement,” said Putin in comments carried by state-owned media outlet The Global Times.

China has been accused of genocide in its repression of the predominantly Muslim Uyghur minority in Xinjiang – an allegation it has repeatedly rejected, the BBC reported.

China’s suppression of political freedoms in Hong Kong and concerns for Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai, who was not seen in public for weeks after she accused a top government official of sexual assault in November are also among the diplomatic issues that have arisen, the report said.

The US, UK and Australia and Canada have said their high-level officials will not be attending the winter games, which will take place in February, as a result.

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Boris announces ‘diplomatic boycott’ of Beijing Olympics

He referred to the worsening relations between his country and China — including a spat over Australia’s decision to acquire nuclear-powered submarines — as well as human rights concerns…reports Asian Lite News.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Wednesday the UK would diplomatically boycott the Winter Olympics being held in Beijing in February by not sending any ministers to the global event.

“There will be effectively a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics in Beijing,” Johnson told MPs when asked about the issue in parliament.

Johnson said he typically did not support “sporting boycotts”, but revealed there were no plans for government ministers to attend the games over alleged human rights abuses by China.

“I do not think that sporting boycotts are sensible — that remains the policy of the government,” he added.

He referred to the worsening relations between his country and China — including a spat over Australia’s decision to acquire nuclear-powered submarines — as well as human rights concerns.

China’s Foreign Ministry denounced Morrison’s announcement as “political posturing,” adding “no one would care about whether (Australian officials) come or not.”

It wasn’t immediately clear whether Britain’s royal family could still attend the 2022 Games. Princess Anne, Queen Elizabeth II’s daughter, was an Olympic equestrian and is president of the British Olympic Association. She is also a member of the International Olympic Committee.

Beijing’s relations with Britain, the US and Australia have plummeted after the three Western countries announced in September that they were forming a strategic Indo-Pacific alliance that allows for greater sharing of defense capabilities. The pact will provide Australia with nuclear reactors to power its submarines, but the subs will not be nuclear-armed.

The UK move follows similar steps by other Western countries, with Australia on Wednesday also announcing it would join the United States in a diplomatic boycott of the Games.

The allies have a growing discord with China over a slew of issues that has plunged relations into the most serious crisis since the Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989.

They include human rights abuses in Xinjiang and a crackdown on pro-democracy groups in Hong Kong, a former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

The White House announced on Monday that U.S. government officials will boycott the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing over China’s human rights “atrocities,” though the action allows American athletes to travel to compete.

China said it had not invited and British ministers.

“The Beijing Winter Olympics is a gathering of Olympic athletes and winter sports lovers across the world, not a tool of political manipulation for any country,” a spokesman for the Chinese embassy said.

“Making an issue out of the presence of government officials at the Beijing Winter Olympics is in essence a political smearing campaign,” the spokesman said.

Canada will join its allies in a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing to send China a message over its human rights record, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.

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