International

Tiktok CEO defends app’s data policies at US Congress

TikTok’s chief executive Shou Zi Chew appeared Thursday March 23rd, 2023 at the US House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing, where lawmakers questioned him about China’s influence and data privacy while they expressed deep distrust.

During the more than five hours of testimony, Chew repeatedly denied accusations that the app shares data or has connections with the Chinese government.

“We’re headquartered in Los Angeles and Singapore, and we have 7,000 employees in the US today,” said Chew. “The bottom line is this: American data stored on American soil, by an American company, overseen by American personnel,” he said.

The lawmakers in both major political parties seemed convinced that the app poses national security risks, citing its parent company, Beijing-based ByteDance, and they seemed uninterested in Chew’s answers.

Following Representative Kat Cammack’s lengthy critique of TikTok’s content moderation and links to China, Chew asked the committee chair, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, if he could respond.

“No. We’re going to move on,” she said.

In a post-hearing statement, TikTok said, “Shou came prepared to answer questions from Congress … unfortunately, the day was dominated by political grandstanding that failed to acknowledge the real solutions already underway.”

TikTok has become extremely popular in the US, especially among young people. The platform has 150 million monthly active users in the country, including 5 million businesses that use TikTok to reach customers, according to the company.

It has come under increased scrutiny in the past few years over the “national security” concerns that US users’ data could be passed on to China.

The company survived a ban attempt by former president Donald Trump. The Trump administration first proposed banning the short-form video app in 2020, but that effort was stopped by the federal courts, which questioned the validity of the claims about national security risks.

During Thursday’s hearing, the lawmakers offered no evidence of TikTok harming US national security interests.

“I think a lot of risks that are pointed out are hypothetical and theoretical risks,” Chew said at the hearing. “I have not seen any evidence. I am eagerly awaiting discussions where we can talk about evidence and then we can address the concerns that are being raised.”

Like previous congressional hearings at which tech industry leaders testified, US lawmakers were criticized for a lack of understanding of the tech and social media industries at Thursday’s hearing.

McMorris Rodgers, a Republican from Washington state, repeatedly said TikTok collected every bit of data from a user’s phone.

Geoffrey Fowler, The Washington Post’s technology columnist, said that is not true.

“It (the app) does not collect your location, which is one of the most sensitive pieces of data. … whether it’s watching your eyes, it fits in the same realm like Facebook’s listening to you, kind of urban myths about technology,” he said.

To address the privacy concerns, TikTok said it has spent more than $1.5 billion on data security efforts under the name “Project Texas”, which currently has nearly 1,500 full-time employees and is contracted with Oracle Corp to store TikTok’s US user data.

“Please rename your project. Texas is not the appropriate name,” Representative August Pfluger from Texas told Chew at the hearing.

Outside of the hearing, TikTok gained support from several Congress members who called the proposed ban on TikTok GOP-led “hysteria” about the app’s ties to China.

In December, President Joe Biden signed a bill to ban the app on government devices. Recently, the administration has threatened to ban the app in the US, if its parent company won’t sell its stakes.

Representative Jamaal Bowman of New York joined two colleagues and dozens of TikTok content creators on Wednesday in front of the Capitol to oppose the ban.

“You can ban TikTok, but there are still data brokers who sell our data to other countries. … So let’s not have a dishonest conversation. Let’s not be racist towards China and express our xenophobia when it comes to TikTok because American companies have done tremendous harm to American people,” Bowman said at the protest.

“The problem here is the isolation of TikTok because they’re a Chinese company,” he continued. Behind him supporters held signs of “Keep TikTok”, “My teaching thrives on TikTok”, “My Art thrives on TikTok”.

“I’m very clear on how harmful Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube have been, just to name a few. I mean, President Donald Trump used Twitter to help facilitate an insurrection, an attack on the US Capitol by US citizens. So, while we’re worried about China harming our country, we are harming ourselves,” said Bowman.

“A ban takes away the connections we’ve built, silencing communities that continue to be underrepresented and not given a voice,” said Tiffany Yu, who was disabled and founded a disability advocacy organization.

“TikTok has really been a game-changer for me. It’s allowed me to reach new audiences. … I’m not alone. It’s become a vital platform for advocates across society and across the political spectrum to connect, share their stories and help change people’s lives,” she said.

Callie Goodwin, who runs a greeting card company, said 95 percent of her orders come from TikTok followers. “I’m so thankful that this app has given me the chance to grow my business and to seek this entrepreneurial journey that would not be possible without it,” she said.

A ban on TikTok would be “devastating” to her livelihood and other small businesses as well, she said.

“A ban would be an entirely un-American, undemocratic and inappropriate response to an unproven risk,” wrote Chris Stokel-Walker, author of TikTok Boom: China’s Dynamite App and the Superpower Race for Social Media, in a recent article for The Washington Post.

“Banning TikTok would be completely useless in combating a different, much better-evidenced social media pitfall — the spread of dangerous propaganda,” said Stokel-Walker.

“Banning one platform and ignoring the others would solve nothing, while allowing the deeper problems to fester,” he said. (Int’l news)

International

CHINA CELEBRATES ITS 75TH ANNIVERSARY

China marks National Day with light shows, #fireworks, drone displays #PRC75Years

Fireworks illuminate the sky in Macao, south China on Oct. 1, 2024. Various events and activities were held to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

*Tourists visit the Senado Square in Macao, south China*

International

Wang Yi calls on Global South to jointly advance peace and development

Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, on Wednesday called on the Global South to work actively and contribute to building a world of lasting peace and universal security.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks at a dialogue session between high-ranking officials responsible for security matters and national security advisors from BRICS and Global South countries in the Russian city of St. Petersburg.

Noting the international security situation is becoming increasingly complex with fierce geopolitical competition and emerging hotspot issues, Wang said the aspiration of people of all countries for peace and security has become stronger and the call for unity and cooperation has become more urgent.

Global peace and development cannot be achieved without the support and participation of all progressive forces, Wang added.

Gaining momentum in the new century, Wang said, the Global South should stand ahead and make positive contributions to building a world of lasting peace and universal security in the face of a turbulent and interwoven world.

Wang called on the Global South countries to adhere to dialogue and cooperation and share the development opportunities and fruits to safeguard their legitimate rights and interests, realize common prosperity and gain a greater voice in the international arena.

Wang said, being an ex-officio member of the Global South, China has always stood firm with southern countries to jointly safeguard international fairness and justice and promote world peace and development.

BRICS countries and the Global South share a natural emotional bond and extensive common interests, Wang noted, and China supports BRICS in pursuing development with an open door and promoting cooperation with open arms.

China welcomes more like-minded Global South countries to join the BRICS family and work together as a force for stability and peace, a backbone for open development, a force for global governance and a force for mutual learning among civilizations, so as to build a community with a shared future for mankind, Wang added.

Caption: Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, attends a dialogue session between high-ranking officials responsible for security matters and national security advisors from BRICS and Global South countries in St. Petersburg, Russia, September 11, 2024.

International

The Authority of UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 Cannot Be Challenged

Article by H. E. YanXiusheng, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Barbados

The 79th United Nations General Assembly opened on September 10 in New York. At present, there are still a handful forces that have been deliberately distorting and challenging UNGA Resolution 2758 adopted in 1971, trumpeting the notion that Taiwan’s status is undetermined, and advocating support for Taiwan’s participation in UN meetings and activities, in an attempt to challenge the international community’s consensus on the one-China principle. I believe that such actions, which go against the tide of history, will undoubtedly end in failure.

On October 25, 1971, the 26th UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758 by an overwhelming majority, deciding to “restore all its rights to the People’s Republic of China and to recognize the representatives of its Government as the only legitimate representatives of China to the United Nations, and to expel forthwith the representatives of Chiang Kai-shek from the place which they unlawfully occupy at the United Nations and in all the organizations related to it”. The Resolution resolved once and for all politically, legally and procedurally the issue of the representation of the whole of China, including Taiwan, at the United Nations. The resolution also made clear that there can only be one seat representing China at the UN and precluded the possibility of “two Chinas” or “one China, one Taiwan.”

UNGA Resolution 2758 is based on historical facts and has a legal basis. Taiwan has been part of China since ancient times. Before the adoption of Resolution 2758, it was already a historical fact and an international consensus that Taiwan is part of China. This was a significant political precondition for the UN General Assembly to adopt Resolution 2758. The 1943 Cairo Declaration and the 1945 Potsdam Proclamation clearly stipulated that Taiwan, a Chinese territory stolen by Japan, shall be restored to China. These documents with international legal effect formed an integral part of the post-WWII international order and also established the legal foundation of Taiwan’s status as China’s inalienable territory.

The one-China principle adopted by UNGA Resolution 2758 is a widely accepted international consensus. For over half a century since the resolution’s adoption, the UN system has always observed Resolution 2758 and upheld the one-China principle in dealing with Taiwan-related issues. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has repeatedly reaffirmed that the UN’s position is very clear, which is to observe the Resolution and uphold the one-China principle, and that all UN actions are based on this. To date, 183 countries, representing over 93% of UN member states, have established diplomatic relations with China on the basis of the one-China principle. These facts fully demonstrate that the one-China principle reflects the will of the people and represents the trend of the times and the course of history.

Barbados is one of the earliest countries in the eastern Caribbean to establish diplomatic relations with China, and is also a good friend and partner of China in the region. Over the past 47 years, the bilateral relations have steadily advanced based on the one-China principle, mutual respect, and mutual benefit. China highly appreciates Barbados’ firm adherence to the one-China principle and is willing to work with Barbados to continue implementing the important consensus reached by the leaders of our two countries, deepen political mutual trust, strengthen cooperation in various fields, continue to understand and support each other on issues concerning our core interests and major concerns, constantly expand and enrich the friendly relations between our two countries, and build a closer China-Barbados community with a shared future.