WeChat represents an almost identical espionage and data security risk that TikTok does, says Shadow Home Affairs and Cybersecurity Minister James Paterson.

“It collects an enormous amount of data on its users, that data is remitted back to China where it can be accessed by their China-based employees,” Mr Paterson told Sky News Australia.

“Those China-based employees are subject to the National Intelligence laws of China which compel them to cooperate with Chinese intelligence agencies.

“If we were concerned with that risk with TikTok, we should be equally concerned about that risk with WeChat and there’s no reason why we shouldn’t take the same decision.”