The Chinese Embassy has been holding meetings with Capitol Hill staffers to protect TikTok from a potential forced sale. The meetings were prompted by legislation passed by the House that would require Chinese divestment from TikTok or face a ban. Two congressional staffers revealed that the Chinese Embassy downplayed national security concerns over TikTok and argued that banning the app would harm U.S. investors who have ownership of parent company ByteDance. Chinese diplomats also claimed that TikTok was being treated unfairly as a Chinese company compared to other companies from outside of China.
TikTok denied any knowledge of the meetings between the Chinese Embassy and congressional staffers, calling the report “absurd”. The Chinese Embassy stated that it was lobbying for all Chinese companies to be treated fairly, not just TikTok. The legislation led by Rep. Mike Gallagher and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi would block TikTok in the U.S. if ByteDance does not divest from it within 165 days. It would also require TikTok to be bought by a country that is not a U.S. adversary. Critics of TikTok have raised concerns about the Chinese government’s potential access to sensitive user data through ByteDance, despite the company denying these allegations.
The Chinese Embassy argued that TikTok was being unfairly targeted because it is a Chinese company, claiming that other companies outside of China would not face the same treatment. TikTok had no prior knowledge of the meetings and dismissed the report as baseless. The legislation introduced by Rep. Gallagher and Rep. Krishnamoorthi would force ByteDance to divest from TikTok within a certain time frame or face a ban in the U.S. The bill also requires TikTok to be acquired by a country that is not considered a U.S. adversary.
Critics of TikTok have long maintained that the social media app poses a national security risk due to concerns over the Chinese government’s influence through ByteDance. Despite denials from TikTok, these concerns have led to increased scrutiny and legislative action aimed at protecting user data and national security interests. The Chinese Embassy’s efforts to protect TikTok from a potential forced sale highlight the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and China over technology and national security issues.
The controversial meetings between the Chinese Embassy and Capitol Hill staffers shed light on the ongoing battle over TikTok’s ownership and national security implications. As tensions continue to rise between the U.S. and China, the fate of TikTok remains uncertain, with lawmakers and critics alike pushing for stricter regulations and oversight. The outcome of this legislative battle will have far-reaching implications for the future of technology, national security, and international relations between the two countries.
