Beijing accuses US of 'bullying' in voting through bill that could ban TikTok
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More news: Beijing has hit out at the US after the House of Representatives voted in favour of a bill to ban app stores from distributing social media app, TikTok, if its Chinese owner, ByteDance, does not divest ownership.
In a regular press briefing in Beijing on Thursday, foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said that the bill adopted by the US House of Representatives puts the US on the opposite side of the principles of fair competition and international trade rules.
He continued: “If the so-called “national security” can be cited at will to bring down other countries’ competitive companies, there would be no fairness or justice to speak of. It is sheer robbers’ logic to try every means to snatch from others all the good things that they have. How the US has handled the TikTok incident enables the world to see clearly whether the US’s so-called “rules” and “order” serve the whole world or the US itself.”
When asked about the difference between the Chinese mainland banning platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, and the US’ potential ban on TikTok, Wang Wenbin replied that China welcomes foreign platforms and services to the Chinese market on the premise that they observe local laws and regulations. “This is completely different from the US way of handling TikTok, which is clearly a bullying act and robbers’ logic.”
US House passes bill forcing Bytedance to divest TikTok
The news: The US House of Representatives has voted in favour of a bill to ban app stores from distributing social media app, TikTok, if its Chinese owner, ByteDance, does not divest ownership.
The numbers: Republicans and Democrats voted 352 to 65 to back the bill, which was carried out under fast-track rules that require support by two-thirds of the House members in order to pass. 15 Republicans and 50 Democrats voted in opposition.
The context: The vote, which gives ByteDance around six months to sell the app used by around 170 million Americans or face the risk of being banned in the country, was supported by President Joe Biden and opposed by Donald Trump.
While the House has passed the bill, it is unclear how the legislation will proceed once it reaches the US Senate. A bill needs to pass in both houses before being sent to the President and signed into law.
A TikTok spokesperson responded to the vote, blasting Wednesday’s decision: “This process was secret and the bill was jammed through for one reason: it's a ban […] We are hopeful that the Senate will consider the facts, listen to their constituents, and realize the impact on the economy, 7 million small businesses, and the 170 million Americans who use our service.”
What they said: House speaker Mike Johnson urged the Senate to approve the bill, stating: “Apps like TikTok allow the Chinese Communist Party to push harmful content to our youth and engage in malign activities, such as harvesting the location, purchasing habits, contacts, and sensitive data of Americans. Today’s bipartisan vote demonstrates Congress’ opposition to Communist China’s attempts to spy on and manipulate Americans, and signals our resolve to deter our enemies.”
