BEIJING – China stated Wednesday it is indeed willing to collaborate with the United States to address concerns surrounding TikTok,a day after a U.S. House committee advanced legislation that could lead to a nationwide ban of the popular video-sharing app.
The legislation, passed Tuesday by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, would require ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, to divest its ownership stake or face a ban in the U.S. The bill reflects escalating U.S. national security concerns over data privacy and potential Chinese government influence.
Chinese officials maintain that TikTok operates independently and that data security concerns are unfounded. However, they have indicated a willingness to engage in dialog.
“We hope the U.S. side can respect market principles and avoid politicizing normal business activities,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin at a regular press briefing. “China is ready to work with the U.S.to continue to resolve the issues related to TikTok.”
The debate over TikTok’s future in the U.S. has unfolded over several years. In 2020,then-President Donald trump issued a series of executive orders attempting to ban the app,citing national security risks. These orders were challenged in court and ultimately stalled. Trump sought a deal that would have seen TikTok acquired by an American-led group of investors, but the agreement faltered after China withdrew its support following the imposition of higher tariffs on Chinese goods.
Bonnie Glaser, director of the German Marshall Fund’s Indo-Pacific program, previously noted that the deal “is not really a big deal for Xi Jinping,” suggesting China would be content with a resolution that allows them to claim an agreement was reached.
A Pew Research Center report released in September 2023 found that approximately 43% of U.S. adults under age 30 regularly get their news from TikTok, surpassing other social media platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. A recent Pew survey also indicated that support for a TikTok ban has decreased, with about a third of Americans supporting a ban in late 2023, down from 50% in March 2023.
The core of the security debate centers on tiktok’s algorithm, which China asserts must remain under Chinese control due to legal requirements.U.S. regulations, however, stipulate that any divestment would necessitate severing ties with ByteDance. U.S.authorities have warned the algorithm could be manipulated by Chinese authorities, though evidence of such manipulation has not been publicly presented.
