China warns US of repercussions as House approves bill that could ban TikTok

China has issued a warning to the US, suggesting that a prospective ban on TikTok could have repercussions, following lawmakers’ approval of a bill that could lead to the app’s prohibition. The proposed legislation in the House of Representatives mandates that TikTok, owned by a Chinese company, must cut ties with China or risk being banned in the US.

US officials have consistently expressed concerns regarding TikTok, pointing out potential national security risks. However, the owners of TikTok have consistently denied these allegations. The bill was approved in the House with bipartisan backing from both political parties on Wednesday.

The bill, officially titled as the “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act“, will now advance to the Senate where its fate remains uncertain due to undecided support. However, the White House has indicated that if the Senate passes the bill, President Joe Biden will sign it into law.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin criticized the move ahead of the vote, accusing the US of “suppressing TikTok” in spite of the absence of any evidence proving that TikTok threatens national security.

Wang argued that such bullying behavior, which disrupts a company’s normal business operations and undermines both investors’ confidence in the economy and the usual international economic and trade order, is a direct result of the US’s inability to compete fairly. He warned that this approach will ultimately backfire on the US.

Chinese media also widely criticized the move, with several newspapers publishing satirical cartoons lampooning the US’s attempt to ban the app.

The Global Times, a Chinese newspaper, condemned the US for its “ugly behaviour” and for exploiting “the concept of national security” to forcibly acquire the app. Ironically, like other social media platforms, TikTok itself is prohibited in China. Chinese users utilize a similar app called Duoyin, which is exclusive to China and is subjected to state surveillance and censorship.

TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a firm based in Beijing and registered in the Cayman Islands. If the proposed US bill becomes law, ByteDance would either have to sell TikTok within a six-month timeframe or risk a ban from US app stores and web-hosting platforms.

Recently, TikTok delivered a message to several of its American users, urging them to contact their representatives to stop the government from depriving “170 million Americans of their Constitutional right to free speech.” In response to this, the House China Select Committee issued a letter asking TikTok to cease “spreading false claims in its campaign to manipulate and mobilize American citizens on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party”.

TikTok, on the other hand, has categorically denied any association with the Chinese government. It maintains that the company has been restructured to ensure that US user data stays in the US.

Former President Donald Trump previously attempted, but failed, to ban the app in 2020. On Tuesday, having secured enough delegate support to secure the Republican nomination for the presidential candidate role, Mr. Trump now opposes the ban. He believes that such a prohibition would provide an unfair advantage to Facebook.