TikTok ban: China attacks "bandit logic" of House vote

15 March 2024 13:47

China has attacked a bill going through Congress that could ultimately see TikTok banned in the US, accusing it of "unjustly" behaving like a "bandit".

The bill passed by the House of Representatives would give TikTok's parent company six months to divest from the firm or face a ban on the app, BBC reports.

It still faces an uphill battle in the Senate but President Joe Biden says he will sign it if it passes Congress.

Beijing has vowed to take" necessary measures" to protect its interests.

TikTok is owned by Chinese company ByteDance, a Beijing-based firm registered in the Cayman Islands.

US lawmakers have expressed concern about the app, saying the data of Americans potentially in Chinese hands makes it a national security risk. TikTok's owners have rejected those accusations.

In a rare show of bipartisanship on Wednesday, the House voted overwhelmingly to pass the bill, with 352 representatives voting in favour of the proposed law and 65 against.

At a news conference in Beijing on Thursday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said the vote on the bill "runs contrary to the principles of fair competition and justice".

"When someone sees a good thing another person has and tries to take it for themselves, this is entirely the logic of a bandit," Mr Wang added.

Another Chinese official, Commerce Ministry spokesperson He Yadong, said that China would "take all necessary measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests".

It is unclear whether the bill has enough support to pass the US Senate. It's also possible that the bill will never come up for a vote, leaving the current status quo in place.

Republican Donald Trump has said he is now opposed, having previously backed a ban.

After its passage in the House, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew said that the bill would take "billions of dollars out of the pockets of creators and small businesses".

"It will also put more than 300,000 American jobs at risk and it will take away your TikTok," Mr Chew said in a video posted on TikTok and on X, formerly known as Twitter.

TikTok is banned in China along with other social media platforms.

Instead, Chinese users use a similar app, Douyin, which is only available in China and subject to monitoring and censorship by the government.

Caliber.Az

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