On Wednesday, the House of Representatives approved legislation that mandates ByteDance, the Chinese owner of TikTok, to divest the popular short video platform to an American entity, or else risk being banned in the US, where it currently has 170 million active users.
China's Foreign Ministry has said the ban of the popular social platform is "an act of bullying" that would ultimately backfire.
"Even though the US has not found evidence on how TikTok endangers its national security, it has never stopped going after TikTok," Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson for the ministry, told CNN Wednesday at a news conference in Beijing.
Wang accuses the United States of "resorting to acts of bullying" because it has not proven successful in fair competition, claiming such a move would disrupt market operations, undermine investor confidence, and sabotage the global economic order, reported CNN Business.
Mirroring the words of the foreign ministry, Wang reiterates, "This will eventually backfire on the US itself."
However, US officials and lawmakers have continuously voiced concerns about TikTok and the idea that the Chinese government could compel its parent company, ByteDance, to hand over data collected from US users. Another fear is the app could serve as a propaganda tool for Beijing to spread misinformation or influence the American public.
Cybersecurity experts also highlight national security concerns, and while it remains hypothetical, it presents a troubling scenario.
No evidence has been introduced on behalf of the United States proving that the Chinese government has accessed user data from US TikTok users. The bill intends to prevent that outcome, said lawmakers.
Wisconsin Republican Rep. Mike Gallagher, who chairs a House select committee on China, dismissed details of the bill as a TikTok ban.
"It's not a ban," he said. "It puts the choice squarely in the hands of TikTok to sever their relationship with the Chinese Communist Party. As long as ByteDance no longer owns the company, TikTok can continue to survive ... the basic ownership structure has to change."
China stands firmly, as it declares it strongly opposes any forced sale of TikTok.
"The sale or divestiture of TikTok involves technology export, and administrative licensing procedures must be performed in accordance with Chinese laws and regulations," a spokesperson for China's commerce ministry said in March last year.
"The Chinese government will make a decision in accordance with the law."
On Wednesday, TikTok became a top trending topic on the Chinese social media site Weibo, with the hashtag "TikTok starts to fight back," drawing millions of views.
Users have expressed support for the app and its call to contest the bill, which would include a full-screen notification encouraging users to call their representatives.
Others have found the ordeal to be hypocritical of the United States.
"Let me tell a joke: American society is liberal and democratic, and it has a complete market economy," mused one commenter with 2,000 upvotes.
The Global Times, a nationalist tabloid, came to TikTok's defense.
In an editorial last week, it accused the US of "openly trying to rob TikTok."
"The image of free speech and rule of law in the US is in tatters, and the latest bill is simply further evidence of this," it said.
