Washington seems more likely than ever to block the popular app. Beijing’s reserve exposes America’s weaknesses, says Catherine Thorbecke for Blo

Commentary: China’s silence on US TikTok ban speaks volumes

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2024-09-27 02:30:04

Washington seems more likely than ever to block the popular app. Beijing’s reserve exposes America’s weaknesses, says Catherine Thorbecke for Bloomberg Opinion.

Rep Troy Nehls, R-Texas, arrives for an event to call for the banning of TikTok, the hugely popular video-sharing app, at the Capitol in Washington, on Mar 23, 2023. (Photo: AP/J Scott Applewhite)

TOKYO: Beijing has been rather quiet as TikTok, the first globally successful app born from its domestic tech sector, fights for its life in the US.

The debate over whether Washington will ban TikTok due to perceived national security concerns related to the Beijing base of its parent company, ByteDance, has simmered for years. In the past, Chinese officials haven’t shied from harsh rhetoric voicing opposition. But now, as a ban seems more likely than ever to take hold, Beijing is holding its cards close to the chest.

In the months since legislation that would force TikTok to divest from ByteDance has made its way through Congress and now the courts, spokespeople for China’s foreign ministry have demurred requests for comment, referring to previous remarks. Namely, a March statement from commerce officials that China will resolutely “safeguard its legitimate rights and interests.”