Following the Indian government’s decision to ban 59 Chinese apps, including TikTok, for “engaging in activities which are prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, the security of the state and public order”, the Embassy of China has issued a statement asking the Indian government to shun its “discriminatory practices” and continue the momentum of China-India economic and trade cooperation, and treat all investments and service providers equitably.
Opposing the action taken by the Indian government of banning a slew of Chinese apps, the Chinese Embassy in India counsellor Ji Rong, in his statement, raised concerns over India’s decision to outlaw 59 Chinese apps. Rong claimed that India’s measure selectively and discriminatorily aims at certain Chinese apps on unclear and unconvincing grounds, runs against fair and transparent procedure requirements, abuses national security exceptions and suspects of violating the WTO rules.
The Chinese counsellor further added that the banned apps worked in accordance with the Indian laws and regulations and provided fast and efficient services for Indian customers, creators and entrepreneurs. “The ban will affect not only the employment of local Indian workers who support these apps but also the interests of Indian users and the employment and livelihoods of many creators and entrepreneurs,” the press release said.
India imposes ban on 59 Chinese apps including TikTok on the grounds of jeopardising its sovereignty and integrity
The Indian government has red-flagged usage of 59 China-linked apps, including TikTok as being a threat to national security. The Ministry of Information Technology, invoking its power under section 69A of Information Technology Act, with the relevant provisions of the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking of Access of Information by Public) Rules 2009 has ordered a block on the use of 59 apps saying that these apps are “engaged in activities which are prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, the security of the state and public order”.
The ministry in its press release said that it has recently been receiving complaints from various sources including several reports about the misuse of some mobile apps available on Android and iOS platforms for stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users’ data in an unauthorised manner to servers which have a location outside India. The compilation of these data poses which threat to national security and sovereignty and is a matter of deep concern said the statement.
The ban on the Chinese apps came at a time when the two countries are involved in an intense standoff along the Line of Actual border in Eastern Ladakh and had recently clashed in the Galwan Valley in which 20 Indian soldiers attained martyrdom and a comparable but undisclosed number of Chinese soldiers had died in the violent brawls.
