Amid a recent uptick in Sino-Australian tensions , China is continuing to raise the price of Australia's confrontational diplomatic stance, including Canberra's sustained support of a U.S.-led international push to investigate Beijing's role in the COVID-19 pandemic. On June 19, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that his country had been targeted by a sustained and wide-ranging cyberattack on government institutions, public services and businesses. Unnamed top officials said the Chinese government is the primary suspect. The Australian Cyber Security Centre said the June 19 cyberattack was relatively simple and preventable with routine security measures, but that the wide-ranging and sustained nature of the attack suggested a state actor. Leaks indicate that Australian intelligence offices concluded in March that China's Ministry of State Security was also responsible for a February 2019 cyberattack on Australia's parliament and top political parties ahead of key May elections.