China will retaliate after Biden signs law for Taiwan and TikTok.
China is gearing up to defend itself against the United States after President Biden signed a bill that not only provides foreign aid to Taiwan but also mandates the China-based owner of TikTok to sell the app or risk being banned in the U.S.
The bill, approved by Biden last Wednesday, allocates $95 billion in assistance to Ukraine and Israel, with almost $2 billion earmarked for replenishing U.S. weapons provided to Taiwan and other regional allies. Additionally, ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, has been given nine months to sell the app, with a potential three-month extension if a sale is in progress.
In response to the legislation, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated, “China firmly rejects the U.S. passing and signing into law the military aid package containing negative content on China. We have lodged serious representations to the U.S.”
Lin Jian went on to express China’s dissatisfaction with the bill, claiming that it infringes upon China’s sovereignty by providing significant military aid to Taiwan, violating the one-China principle. He criticized the U.S. for allegedly undermining the principles of market economy and fair competition by targeting other countries’ companies in the name of national security.
China has been embroiled in a territorial dispute with Taiwan, with Taiwan welcoming the legislation, viewing it as a means to bolster security.
President Biden’s decision to sign the bill has sparked a heated debate, with U.S. lawmakers accusing TikTok of posing a national security risk by collecting user data and spreading propaganda.
Despite the mounting pressure, TikTok has adamantly denied being a security threat and is poised to launch a legal challenge to block the legislation that mandates the sale of the popular social media app.
It remains to be seen how this escalating tension between the U.S. and China, fueled by the TikTok controversy and the aid package to Taiwan, will unfold in the coming months.
As the world watches with bated breath, the implications of these decisions could have far-reaching consequences on global politics and the tech industry.
