Attempt to ban TikTok is a feeble rehash of witch-hunt

THE EDITOR, Madam:

In a widely criticised move, the US House of Representatives approved a bill giving TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, about six months to divest the US assets of the app, or face a ban. This renewed effort by US lawmakers is nothing but a feeble rehash of grotesque witch-hunt, and has generated outspoken opposition by so many, even at home where 170 million people use this social media platform.

Though the US government has never found any evidence of TikTok posing a threat to the US’s national security, it has never stopped going after TikTok. Such practice of resorting to hegemonic moves when one could not succeed in fair competition disrupts the normal operation of businesses, undermines the confidence of international investors in the investment environment, sabotages the normal economic and trade order in the world, and will eventually backfire on the US itself.

If ‘national security’ can be abused to bring down other countries’ competitive companies, there would be no fairness or justice at all. 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 TikTok enables the world to see clearly whether the US’s ‘rules’ and ‘order’ serve the whole world or only the US.

DATA PROTECTION

The Chinese government attaches great importance to protecting data privacy and security. We have never asked, and will never ask businesses or individuals to collect or provide data in other countries for the Chinese government, in violation of local laws.

China’s policies of treating foreign social media are a far cry from the US’s treatment of TikTok. All platforms, products and services are welcome to the Chinese market, as long as they observe Chinese laws and regulations. This non-discriminatory approach is equally applied to all foreign companies.

The US bill and sour grapes just tell one thing: being a self-proclaimed centre of technological progress, the US cannot accept the fact that TikTok is one of the most popular social media apps in the world and since it’s an app created by a foreign company, the US tries to overbearingly move the goalposts, again.

Here’s a tip: being obsessed about finding China’s kryptonite is never wise. Chinaphobia is a dangerous illness, but it is not incurable. The prescription is to abandon the zero-sum Cold War mentality, uphold equality and mutual respect, and embrace openness and inclusiveness for mutual benefits and win-win results.

TIANJIA MA