China accuses US of spreading disinformation and suppressing TikTok app – Tv Media

China on Thursday accused the United States of spreading misinformation and suppressing the TikTok app, following reports that Washington has asked its Chinese owners to sell stakes in the video-sharing app.

The United States has not provided evidence that TikTok poses a threat to its national security and is using the excuse of data security to abuse its power and crack down on foreign companies, said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin. , at a press conference.

“The US must stop spreading misinformation about data security, stop suppressing the company in question, and provide an open, fair and non-discriminatory environment for foreign companies to invest and operate in its market,” Wang said.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that the US Foreign Investment Committee, part of the Treasury Department, threatened to ban the ‘app’ from the US market unless its owners, ByteDance Ltd., headquartered in Beijing, sells its position.

“If protecting national security is the objective, divestment does not solve the problem: a change of ownership would not impose new restrictions on data flows or access,” reacted Maureen Shanahan, a spokesperson for TikTok.

Shanahan said TikTok has already addressed concerns through “transparent protection of user data” in the United States, with “robust third-party monitoring and verification.”

The WSJ cited “persons familiar with the matter”. The Treasury Department and the White House National Security Council declined to comment on that information.

In late February, the White House gave federal agencies 30 days to eliminate TikTok from all government devices. Some agencies, including the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security and the Department of State already had restrictions in place.

Congress passed the “No TikTok on Government Devices Act” in December as part of a broader government funding package. Legislation permits the use of TikTok in certain cases, including for national security, law enforcement and research purposes.

Lawmakers in the House of Representatives and Senate are moving forward with legislation that would give the Joe Biden administration more powers to crack down on TikTok.

TikTok is used by two-thirds of US teens, but there is growing concern that Beijing could gain control of US users’ data and that the ‘app’ serves to spread pro-Beijing propaganda.

China bans most foreign social networks in its market, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok itself, which is present in the country through the domestic version, called Douyin.