PanamaTimes

Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

Positive Step In Right Direction: China On US Revoking TikTok, WeChat Ban

Positive Step In Right Direction: China On US Revoking TikTok, WeChat Ban

The US should treat Chinese companies fairly and justly and refrain from politicising trade issues, state-run CGTN quoted Commerce ministry spokesperson Gao Feng as saying.
A relieved China on Thursday welcomed the US move to drop the Trump-era executive orders to ban its popular apps TikTok and WeChat, saying it is a "positive step in the right direction".

The US should treat Chinese companies fairly and justly and refrain from politicising trade issues, state-run CGTN quoted Commerce ministry spokesperson Gao Feng as saying.

However, he said, the Biden administration's move to revoke orders against banning Chinese apps was a "positive step in the right direction".

The White House on Wednesday revoked the previous government's ban on short video sharing platform TikTok and messaging app WeChat and said the Biden administration will conduct its own review aimed at identifying national security risks with software applications tied to China.

The US order to lift the ban on the Chinese apps came as a relief here as much to the chagrin of Beijing, the Biden administration has been following the Trump-era hardline policies against China, deepening the discord between the top two major economies of the world.

Asked for his reaction to the US move to lift the ban orders, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a media briefing here on Thursday that the US should stop abusing state power to suppress Chinese firms.

"The US side should earnestly respect principles of market economy, international economic and trade rules, stop overstretching the concept of national security, stop abusing state power to Chinese high tech companies and treat Chinese enterprises in a fair, just and non-discriminatory manner.

"The Chinese government continue to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of our companies," he said.

The US ban on the Chinese apps followed after India banned TikTok along with 267 other Chinese apps due to security concerns. TikTok is owned by Chinese tech unicorn ByteDance.

Former US President Donald Trump during his tenure constantly attacked ByteDance and TikTok as being a threat to US national security. His administration contended that WeChat and TikTok posed national security concerns because sensitive personal data of US nationals could be collected by Chinese government.

American politicians and officials had also expressed concerns about users' personal data being passed on to the Chinese government.

Both TikTok, which has over 100 million users in the US, and WeChat have denied the allegations.

Following the ban orders issued by the Trump administration, TikTok had moved the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to review the decision.

Significantly, the Biden administration's move to lift the ban from TikTok and WeChat came as Washington and Beijing held the third round of trade consultations on Thursday.

China's Commerce Minister Wang Wentao spoke with his American counterpart Gina Raimondo on Thursday, the Chinese Commerce Ministry said.

The talks followed similar discussions between Chinese Vice-Premier Liu He and US Trade Representative Katherine Tai and also between Liu and US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen earlier.

China's Commerce Ministry said in a statement that both sides "had a candid and pragmatic exchange of views on relevant issues and mutual concerns in the China-US business field".

"The two sides stated that dialogue and exchanges in the field of business between China and the US are very important, and they agreed to promote the healthy development of pragmatic trade and investment cooperation and properly handle differences. Both parties agreed to continue to maintain communication," it said.

Liu and Tai held talks on May 27. It was the first dialogue held between the top trade negotiators from China and the US since Joe Biden took over as the president of the US.

On June 2, Liu held talks with Yellen.

The latest talks followed the White House announcement on Tuesday that the Biden administration will establish a trade strike force, led by Tai, to halt the "hollowing out" of American industry and the erosion of critical supply chains for products such as semiconductors and medicines, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported.

The measures were contained in a 255-page review released on the same day the US Senate passed a sweeping USD 250 billion bill to boost US competitiveness in the face of mounting geopolitical tension with China.

Trump kicked off a trade war with China in 2018, demanding that Beijing should reduce the mounting trade deficit between the two countries. The whole lot of tariffs clamped by him on large Chinese imports is continued so far in the Biden. administration as well.
Newsletter

Related Articles

PanamaTimes
0:00
0:00
Close
Apple warns against drying iPhones with rice
In a recent High Court hearing, the U.S. argued that Julian Assange endangered lives by releasing classified information.
Global Law Enforcement Dismantles Lockbit Ransomware Operation
Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny has died at the Arctic prison colony
The President of Argentina Javier Mile does not fly private, he flies commercial, with the citizens he represents. And they LOVE him for it.
Bitcoin Reaches $50,000 for First Time in Over Two Years
Belo Horizonte: Brazil's Rising Carnival Hotspot for 2024
In El Salvador, the 'Trump of Latin America' stuns the world with a speech slamming woke policing after winning a landslide election
Tucker’s interview with Putin is over 50M views on X within the first 5 hours.
Finnish Airline, Finnair, is voluntarily weighing passengers to better estimate flight cargo weight
President Nayib Bukele has proudly announced El Salvador's remarkable achievement of becoming the safest nation in the Western Hemisphere.
Former Chilean President Sebastian Piñera Dies in Helicopter Crash
This farmer seems to understand science a bit more than the event organizer, Klaus Schwab.
Facebook turns 20: From Mark Zuckerberg's dormitory to a $1trn company
The Coolest Dictator in the World" on the Path to Victory in El Salvador
Macron, France and fake news
Indian-Origin Man 'King' Arrested For Smuggling $16 Million Drugs Into US
Can someone teach Americans that not every person with slanted eyes is Chinese?
Europe's Farmers Feeding the People, Protesting Against Politicians Who Do Nothing for Their Country and Serve Only Themselves at Taxpayers' Expense
Paris Restaurant That Inspired 'Ratatouille' Loses $1.6 Million Worth Of Wine
Brazilian Police Investigate Bolsonaro's Son for Alleged Illegal Spying
Police in Brazil Raid Residence of Bolsonaro Associate Over Allegations of Illegal Spying
Border Dispute Escalates as Texas Governor Vows Increased Razor Wire
OpenAI Enhances ChatGPT-4 Model, Potentially Addressing AI "Laziness" Issue
The NSA finally acknowledges spying on Americans by acquiring sensitive data
Report Reveals Toxic Telegram Group Generating X-Rated AI-Generated Fake Images of Taylor Swift
US Border Patrol States 'No Plans' to Remove Razor Wire Installed in Texas
Bitcoin Experiences Approximately 20% Decline in Value
Klaus Schwab recently appointed himself as the Earth's "trustee of the future."
DeSantis Drops Out, Endorses Trump.
Nikki Haley said former President Trump is "just not at the same level" of mental fitness as he was while president in 2016.
Residents of a southern Mexican town set the government palace on fire in response to the police killing of a young man
Samsung Launches AI-Driven Galaxy S24, Ushering in New Smartphone Era
Judge Questions SEC's Regulatory Overreach in Coinbase Lawsuit
The Ecuador prosecutor who was investigating the television studio attack, has been assassinated.
Is artificial intelligence the solution to cyber security threats?
Vivek Ramaswamy suspends his US election campaign and endorses Trump.
Viral Satire: A Staged Satirical Clip Mistaken as Real Footage from the 2024 World Economic Forum in Davos
The AI Revolution in the Workforce: CEOs at Davos Predict Major Job Cuts in 2024
Ecuador Reports 178 Hostages in Prison Gang Standoff
The Startling Cuban Espionage Case That Has Rattled the US Government
Two Armed Men in Ecuador, Dressed as Batman and The Joker Storm the Streets.
Armed Gang Raids Ecuadorian TV Station Following State of Emergency Declaration
Anti-Democratic Canada: Journalist Arrested for Questioning Canadian Finance Minister on Support of Terrorist Group
Ecuador's 'Most-Wanted' Criminal Vanishes from Prison
Mexican Cartel Supplied Wi-Fi to Locals Under Threat of Fatal Consequences for Non-Compliance
Border Surge Leads to Over 11,000 Migrants Waiting in Northern Mexico
Outsider Candidates Triumph in Latin American Elections
As Argentina Goes to the Polls, Will the Proposal to Replace the Peso with the Dollar Secure Votes?
Fatal Shark Attack Claims Life of Boston Woman Paddleboarding Near Bahamas Resort, According to Police
×