China condemns US TikTok ban bill, says will backfire
Bill that would force ByteDance to divest from TikTok amounts to American bullying, Beijing says
China slammed a bill that passed in the US House of Representatives on Wednesday to restrict TikTok if its parent company, ByteDance, does not divest from the social media platform.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin described the bill as “resorting to acts of bullying” that would backfire on the US.
“How the US handles the TikTok incident enables the world to see clearly whether the US’s so-called rules-based order serves the world or itself,” he said.
The bill passed 352-65, enjoying bipartisan support despite several prominent representatives voting against it, including members of the progressive “squad.”
Critics blasted members of the "squad," such as Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, for voting against the bill, claiming it was out of personal interest as many progressive Congress members enjoy large followings on the platform.
This comes amid fears in the US that China is influencing American youth by controlling content on the platform. ByteDance is controlled by the Chinese government, potentially swaying the 170 million users in the US. Another significant concern is data collection by China.
The bill must now pass in the Senate before arriving at US President Joe Biden's office for ratification.