'Seriously Looking At Banning Chinese Apps Including Tiktok': US Secretary Mike Pompeo

A few weeks into the banning of 59 Chinese apps by the Indian Government, US Secretary Mike Pompeo has also expressed the desire of a similar ban to be followed in the States.

In a press interview, Pompeo said he and President Trump are taking the reports seriously after a television show host pointed out that India had already banned the apps. "We are taking this very seriously and we are certainly looking at it. We have worked on this very issue for a long time…" Pompeo was heard saying.

Earlier, US lawmakers had raised national security concerns over TikTok's handling of user data. They expressed concerns about Chinese laws requiring domestic companies "to support and cooperate with intelligence work controlled by the Chinese Communist Party."

The app, which is not available in China, has sought to distance itself from its Chinese roots to appeal to a global audience and has emphasized its independence from China.

Pompeo's remarks also come amid increasing US-China tensions over the handling of the coronavirus outbreak, the Hong Kong security law, and a nearly two-year trade war. TikTok, a short-form video app owned by China-based ByteDance, was recently banned in India along with 58 other Chinese apps namely Shein and Shareit after a standoff between India and China along the Galwan Valley in Ladakh.

Meanwhile, reports are also doing the rounds that TikTok would exit the Hong Kong market within days, deciding to do so after China's establishment of a sweeping new national security law for the semi-autonomous city.

Also Read: TikTok Parent Bytedance Looking At Whopping USD 6 Billion Loss After India's Ban On Apps