Question: TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testified in front of the US Congress yesterday, taking questions on a range of topics, not least potential Chinese influence over the platform and whether US citizens’ data is being shared with ByteDance. Do you have any comment?

We have noted the remarks from TikTok. The Chinese government takes data privacy and security very seriously, which is under legal protection. The Chinese government has never asked and will never ask any company or individual to collect or provide data, information or intelligence located abroad against local laws.

The US government has provided no evidence or proof that TikTok threatens US national security, yet it has repeatedly suppressed and attacked the company based on the presumption of guilt. We noted that some US lawmaker has said that to seek a TikTok ban is a “xenophobic witch hunt”. The US should earnestly respect the principles of market economy and fair competition, stop suppressing foreign companies and provide an open, fair, just and non-discriminatory environment for foreign companies operating in the US.