The US Senate passed legislation on Tuesday requiring social media giant TikTok to sever ties with its parent company ByteDance, and more broadly with China, if it does not want to risk being banned in the United States.
President Joe Biden immediately announced that he would publish the text, also passed a few days earlier in the House of Representatives, the second component of the US Congress.
Up for re-election in November, the Democratic head of state reiterated his “concerns” about TikTok during an exchange with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in early April.
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Banning TikTok would “infringe on the freedom of expression” of 170 million Americans, the popular social network protested immediately after the House vote on Saturday.
If it goes into effect, the text will force ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, to sell the app within twelve months, otherwise it would be excluded from the Apple and Google stores in the US territory.
However, there is a risk that her potential ban could be challenged in court.
Asked about the new law, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin on Wednesday simply referred to China’s “principled position” on the matter.
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In March, Chinese Commerce Ministry spokesman He Yadong called on Washington to “respect the rules of the market economy” and indicated that Beijing would take “all necessary measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests.”
The ultimatum by US lawmakers to the wildly popular social network is part of a massive package that specifically includes aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, which Beijing also condemned on Wednesday.
Challenge (with AFP)
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