- Title: Mixed reaction in India to Chinese app ban, Beijing expresses concern
- Date: 30th June 2020
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) TIKTOK USER, SWEETY SINGH, SAYING: "The decision has been taken (to ban Chinese apps) due to the tension between India and China and it is correct but I would like to say this to the government that some Indian applications should be launched through which people like us, who used to make a living out of TikTok, do not face problems." LUCKNOW, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA (JUNE 30, 2020) (ANI - NO USE INDIA) VARIOUS OF CHILDREN USING MOBILE PHONES CHANDIGARH, INDIA (JUNE 30, 2020) (ANI - NO USE INDIA) MAN WATCHING TIKTOK VIDEO ON MOBILE PHONE TIKTOK VIDEO PLAYING IN PHONE (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) CHANDIGARH RESIDENT, ANIL KUMAR, SAYING: "According to me, as per my thinking, TikTok and these Chinese apps should not be here at all as there is a problem because of them in our country. And as far as money (made by these apps) is concerned - then the money that should be used in India is actually going to a foreign country (China)."
- Embargoed: 14th July 2020 11:29
- Keywords: China India TikTok ban on mobile apps bilateral relations business foreign ministry briefing
- Location: NEW DELHI, PATNA, BIHAR, LUCKNOW, UTTAR PRADESH, CHANDIGARGH, INDIA / INTERNET / BEIJING, CHINA
- City: NEW DELHI, PATNA, BIHAR, LUCKNOW, UTTAR PRADESH, CHANDIGARGH, INDIA / INTERNET / BEIJING, CHINA
- Country: China
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA002CKK8KZR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: In India, reaction was mixed to the Indian government's ban on dozens of mostly Chinese mobile apps including Bytedance's TikTok and Tencent's WeChat, as it made its
strongest move yet targeting China in online space since a border crisis erupted between the two countries earlier this month.
"Some Indian applications should be launched through which people like us, who used to make a living out of TikTok, do not face problems," TikTok user Sweety Singh said, adding that she believed the government move was correct.
India's technology ministry issued an order on Monday (June 29) stating the apps are "prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defense of India, security of state and public order." Following the order, Google and Apple will have to remove these apps from the Android and IOS stores. Tik Tok said it was complying with the ban which blocks 59 apps including Tik Tok.
The move comes after a deadly border clash between the two nuclear-armed neighbors in a disputed Himalayan region earlier this month that resulted in the death of 20 Indian soldiers.
The ban is expected to be a big stumbling block for Chinese firms such as Bytedance in India, which have placed big bets in what is one of the world's biggest web services markets. Beijing-headquartered Bytedance had plans to invest $1 billion in India, open a local data center, and had recently ramped up hiring in the country. India is the biggest driver of TikTok app installations, accounting for 611 million lifetime downloads, or 30.3% of the total, app analytics firm Sensor Tower said in April.
In Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters during a daily briefing that India has a responsibility to uphold the rights of Chinese businesses.
"We want to stress that the Chinese side always asks the Chinese businesses to abide by international rules and local laws and regulations in their business cooperation with foreign countries, and the Indian government has a responsibility to uphold the legitimate legal rights of international investors including the Chinese companies," he said.
Anti-China sentiment has long simmered in India over accusations of cheap imports flooding the country, but the border clash has brought tensions to the fore with calls being made to boycott Chinese products. Indian customs at ports have since last week held back containers coming from China, including Apple, Cisco and Dell products, Reuters reported previously.
(Production: Shubing Wang, Irene Wang) - Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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