This is a new episode in the tensions that are poisoning diplomatic and trade relations between Beijing and Washington.
The downloading of Chinese applications TikTok and WeChat will be banned in the United States from Sunday, the US Commerce Department announced on Friday (September 18th), citing threats to "national security".
"The Chinese Communist Party has demonstrated that it has the means and the intention to use these applications to threaten the national security, foreign policy and economy of the United States," the US ministry said in a statement.
The United States is thus carrying out the threat brandished by President Donald Trump against these two Chinese applications, in a context of great tensions between the two economic giants.
>> To re-read: TikTok, Donald Trump's latest tactic to challenge China
Washington, however, leaves a door open for TikTok, an application very popular with young people to produce short videos, before completely banning him from operating on its soil.
"The president leaves until November 12 to resolve the national security issues posed by TikTok. The bans could be lifted if necessary," the Commerce Department said in its statement.
Donald Trump's ultimatum
TikTok, which belongs to the Chinese group ByteDance, had been on borrowed time in the United States since early August.
Donald Trump, who accuses him of spying on behalf of the Chinese authorities, then signed a decree to demand the sale of his American activities by September 20, under penalty of a ban in the country.
US giants Microsoft and Walmart made an offer to buy TikTok's US operations, but Bytedance turned it down on Sunday.
>> To re-read: TikTok, Donald Trump and Oracle: small arrangements between friends?
The Chinese new technology company is also in discussions with several groups, including the Californian firm Oracle, to create a new company that would house its American activities.
One way to allay the fears of Washington, which suspects the video-sharing application of transferring the data of some 100 million American users to the Chinese authorities.
TikTok denounces the American decision
The Chinese application TikTok immediately protested against the American decision to ban its downloading in the United States and claims to have presented all the guarantees to respect the safety of American users.
"We do not agree with the Commerce Department's decision and are disappointed that it is blocking downloads of new apps from Sunday and banning the use of the TikTok app in the US from November 12. ", reacted a spokesperson to AFP.
"In our proposal to the US administration, we have already committed to unprecedented levels of additional transparency and accountability, far beyond what other apps are prepared to do," she said.
The spokeswoman also said the group will continue to challenge the "unfair" executive order issued in August by Donald Trump.
With Reuters and AFP
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