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China to oppose US lawmakers’ new move forcing ByteDance to divest TikTok amid mainland tech restrictions, analysts say
- China is expected to ‘block the sale’ even if ByteDance and other mainland investors were forced to divest their shares
- ByteDance could face legal consequences on the mainland if it transfers ownership or technology to the US without Beijing’s approval
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Coco Fengin Beijing
American lawmakers’ latest effort to force TikTok parent ByteDance to divest its popular short video platform, or face a ban in the United States, is not expected to make progress just like previous attempts amid Beijing’s strong opposition, according to analysts.
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A bipartisan bill was introduced in the US House of Representatives on Tuesday that would give ByteDance 165 days to divest TikTok, or else the app would no longer be available on US app stores or be accessible on web-hosting services in the country.
The Chinese government “would block the sale” even if ByteDance and other mainland investors were forced to divest their shares, according to Alex Capri, a senior lecturer at the National University of Singapore and a research fellow at Asia-based philanthropic organisation Hinrich Foundation.
He indicated that ByteDance could face legal consequences on the mainland if it transfers ownership or technology to the US without Beijing’s approval.
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US lawmakers grill TikTok CEO on app’s alleged ties to Chinese Communist Party
US lawmakers grill TikTok CEO on app’s alleged ties to Chinese Communist Party
“It’s unlikely that TikTok will ever be effectively banned in America”, Capri said. “Any attempt to ban it outright is likely to be struck down in US courts on the grounds that this violates a user’s First Amendment right to free speech.”
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