China Accuses US of 'Unreasonably Supressing' TikTok Over Demand To Sell Stakes

China urged the US to stop "unreasonably suppressing" TikTok on Thursday after the US issued the popular video-sharing app an ultimatum to separate from its Chinese owners or risk a countrywide ban.

It followed the United Kingdom's announcement of a ban on the video app's use on government devices, in line with actions taken by Washington and Brussels.

China Responds to US about TikTok Ultimatum

The United Kingdom joins the United States and the European Union in adopting an increasingly hard stance towards the platform controlled by the Chinese company Bytedance, expressing concerns that Chinese officials may exploit user data.

The White House reportedly informed the app on Wednesday that it will be banned in the United States if it remains controlled by the Chinese internet company.A representative for TikTok said that "calls for a ban or divestment are unwarranted" and that "the best way to resolve concerns about national security is through transparent, US-based safeguarding of US user data and systems."

Beijing also responded to the ultimatum by encouraging Washington to "cease unreasonable repression" of TikTok, as per The Star. The White House hailed the introduction of a measure in the US Senate last week that would empower President Joe Biden to prohibit TikTok due to the threats it presents to sensitive data and national security.

The presentation of the measure and swift support from the White House boosted the political momentum against TikTok, which is also the subject of a second bill in the US House of Representatives. Looking strong on China is one of the few subjects that may get bipartisan support in both the Republican-controlled House and the Democratic-controlled Senate, where Joe Biden's party has the majority.

The "instant impact" phone ban in London is the result of a risk assessment of third-party applications with respect to sensitive data conducted by specialists. Hence, only applications on a pre-approved list, which does not contain TikTok, will be accessible on government devices.

Cabinet Office minister Oliver Dowden said British legislators that the measure was "precautionary" and "proper cyberhygiene."

As a result of the prohibition on Huawei's participation in the rollout of the UK's 5G network and other restrictions on Chinese investment in essential infrastructure and enterprises, this is certain to anger Beijing.

A spokeswoman for TikTok stated that the company was "disappointed" with the decision and that such restrictions were "based on fundamental misunderstandings and broader geopolitics."

TikTok claims to have more than a billion users globally, including more than 100 million in the United States, where it has become a cultural force, particularly among young people. The amount of time users spend on TikTok has overtaken the time spent on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and is closing in on streaming giant Netflix.

Advocates say that a ban would be an assault on free expression and would inhibit the promotion of American culture and values to TikTok users worldwide. In January, US government employees were prohibited from installing TikTok on government-issued smartphones.

This is the most dramatic in a series of recent actions taken by US officials and politicians who have expressed concern that TikTok's US user data may be transferred to the Chinese government. TikTok has almost 100 million US users.

TikTok CEO Set to Testify in US Congress

Per Al Jazeera via MSN, two-thirds of US teens continue to use TikTok, which is still wildly popular. Yet there is growing concern that China may seize control of American user data gathered by the app and use it to propagate pro-Beijing narratives and propaganda.

Next Monday, the CEO of TikTok, Shou Zi Chew, will testify before the United States Congress. It is unclear if the Chinese government would allow such divestment, and the Chinese embassy in Washington did not react quickly to a request for comment.

In the meanwhile, the National Cyber Security Centre of the United Kingdom is evaluating whether TikTok should be prohibited on government phones, while the United States, Canada, Belgium, and the European Commission have already blocked the app from official devices.

According to the Wall Street Journal, which originally reported on the demand, 60 percent of ByteDance shares are owned by worldwide investors, 20 percent by workers, and 20 percent by the company's founders.

This proposal comes after a dozen senators from both parties proposed a bill last week that would give President Biden the ability to prohibit TikTok nationally. The Restrict Act would permit the US Secretary of Commerce to label corporations with foreign ties as national security threats.

The Senate passed a law prohibiting TikTok on government devices in December 2017. The Trump government threatened to ban TikTok in 2020 if the app was not sold to a US corporation. These efforts were defeated when ByteDance opposed the ban in court. It contended that it would violate the Berman amendments, which permit the free flow of "informational material" from hostile nations.