The US is now looking at options to ban Chinese mobile applications (apps). The decision comes a week after India banned 59 Chinese apps in retaliation to the violent clashes between Indian and PLA troops in Galway Valley, Ladakh.
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In an interview with Fox News, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the United States is ‘certainly looking’ to ban Chinese social media apps, including Tiktok. “I don’t want to get out in front of the President (Donald Trump), but it’s something we’re looking at,” Pompeo said.
The US has expressed concern ver TikTok’s handling of user data, saying they were worried about Chinese laws requiring domestic companies “to support and cooperate with intelligence work controlled by the Chinese Communist Party.”
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Similar views were shared by the Indian Ministry of Information and Technology when it banned 59 Chinese apps including Tiktok, Wechat, Shareit, UC Browser etc last week.
As reported by EurAsian Times, the IT Ministry labelled the Chinese apps as ‘’prejudicial to the sovereignty of India, defence of India, the security and state of public order.’’
While Beijing has expressed shock over India’s decision to block Chinese application, the video-sharing application TikTok has sought to distance itself from its Chinese roots to appeal to a global audience and has emphasized its independence from China.
While rumours were rife in New Delhi about TikTok India challenging the ban in court, company officials announced last week that it had no such plans and it was committed to working with the government to address its concerns.
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On Monday, TikTok announced that it would withdraw from the Hong Kong market within a few days, a direct response to China’s establishment of a sweeping new national security law for the semi-autonomous city.
