China Criticizes US Bill Forcing Divestment Or Ban On TikTok

China criticized the US policy on TikTok. (photo: dock. unsplash)

JAKARTA - A spokesman for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday March 14 that no justice could be disclosed in citing national security to reduce the competitive advantages of other countries. This was conveyed when criticizing a US bill that forced divestment or ban on TikTok this week.

The move is the latest in a series of moves in Washington to respond to US national security concerns about China, from connected vehicles to state-of-the-art artificial intelligence chips to cranes at US ports.

The bill on Wednesday, March 13, which was passed in the majority of the US House of Representatives, will give Chinese TikTok owner ByteDance about six months to release his US assets from the short video app, or face bans.

"The administration of this bill by the US House of Representatives allows the United States to stand on the opposite sides to principles of fair competition and international trade rules," said China's foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin.

"If the national security reasons mentioned can be used to intentionally pressure superior companies of other countries, then there will be no justice that can be disclosed," he added.

China has consistently stated that the United States is expanding its national security concept, and Wang has previously said the bullying they described, disrupting normal international trade order, and will eventually return to them.

"The increase in US (serious) handling of this issue allows the world to clearly see whether competition based on the so-called United States rules is beneficial for the world or only for its own interests," he added.

US legislators have raised fears that US TikTok user data could be submitted to the Chinese government.

The fate of TikTok, used by some 170 million Americans, has become a major issue in Washington, where policymakers complain that its office has been flooded with calls from TikTok users who oppose the legislation.

Wang said the US found no evidence of a national security breach by TikTok, but abused state power to attack the company.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew has said the company has never shared or received requests to share US user data with the Chinese government, adding, "And TikTok will not respect such requests if ever."

On the other hand, a few years ago, China itself banned some Big Tech from the US from operating in China. Google and Facebook have indeed been banned from operating in China for some time.

The reasons behind the ban involve strict Chinese government control of the internet and content accessible to its citizens. China is implementing an internet firewall known as "Great Firewall" to control and limit access to certain websites, as well as monitor and filter content deemed inconsistent with government policies.

The ban is seen as part of China's government's strategy to maintain control over information spread across the country, as well as to protect the domestic tech industry from foreign competition. In some cases, foreign companies such as Google and Facebook are required to comply with strict regulations and censorship, or they will be banned from operating in China.

On the other hand, the ban on TikTok in the US is also linked to national security concerns, particularly related to user data privacy. The United States is concerned that TikTok user data, managed by Chinese companies, could be submitted to the Chinese government and used for inappropriate purposes.