‘Seriously concerned’ by ban on apps: China

‘Seriously concerned’ by ban on apps: China

State-run media warn of fall in exports and investments

01/07/2020

Zhao Lijian

China on Tuesday said it was “seriously concerned” by India’s move to block 59 Chinese apps, which it described as “a deliberate interference in practical cooperation” between the two countries.

China’s state media warned the move would bring economic repercussions, including affecting outbound Chinese investment into India.

In separate statements issued by China’s Foreign Ministry in Beijing and its Embassy in New Delhi, the Chinese government called on India to review the decision.

“I want to stress that the Chinese government consistently asks Chinese enterprises to abide by international rules and local laws and regulations when conducting external cooperation,” China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said, expressing “strong concern”.

“The Indian government has the responsibility to protect the legitimate rights and interests of international investors in India, including Chinese businesses, in accordance with market principles,” Mr. Zhao said.

“Practical cooperation between China and India is mutually beneficial. Deliberate interference in such cooperation will not serve the interests of the Indian side,” he added.

In a separate statement, the Chinese Embassy in Delhi said it was “seriously concerned with and firmly opposed to such action”.

“India’s measure selectively and discriminatorily aims at certain Chinese apps on ambiguous and far-fetched grounds, runs against fair and transparent procedure requirements, abuses national security exceptions, and suspects of violating the WTO rules. It also goes against the general trend of international trade and e-commerce, and is not conducive to consumer interests and the market competition in India,” the statement said

The Embassy said the ban “will affect not only the employment of local Indian workers who support these apps, but also the interests of Indian users... ”

Chinese media and social media widely discussed the ban on Tuesday. China restricts a number of foreign apps and websites in the mainland, and among those blocked are WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

In an editorial, the Communist Party-run Global Times slammed what it said was “a lacklustre explanation for the nonsensical move”.

The newspaper quoted experts who “predicted Chinese overseas direct investment (ODI) into India will drop sharply in 2020, with two experts forecasting a more than 50% [reduction].”