Asserting the Indian side has since last year repeatedly used national security to prohibit some mobile apps with Chinese background, China on Wednesday said New Delhi’s decision to keep a ban on 59 Chinese apps was a violation of the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) fair rules of business and would hurt Chinese firms.
Chinese embassy spokesperson Ji Rong in a statement said, “the Indian government has the responsibility to follow WTO rules and market principles and protect the legitimate rights and interests of international investors including Chinese companies.”
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“These moves of the Indian government have also hindered the improvement of the Indian business environment and the innovative development of related Indian industries,” he added. The spokesperson also tweeted in this regard and urged New Delhi to immediately correct its discriminatory measures and avoid causing further damage to bilateral cooperation.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a >#China</a> firmly oppose <a >#India</a> repeatedly using national security as excuse to prohibit Mobile APPs with Chinese background in violation of WTO rules&market principles. We urge Indian side correct discriminatory measures&avoid causing further damage to bilateral cooperation. <a >pic.twitter.com/B9bWZLpblQ</a></p>— Ji Rong (@ChinaSpox_India) <a >January 27, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Union Information and Technology Ministry had last year banned 59 Chinese-owned applications, including TikTok, ShareIt, UC Browser, Likee, WeChat, and Bigo Live.
The Union Information Technology Ministry issued fresh notices to make permanent the ban imposed on these apps in June, days after an unprecedented escalation in a border row with China.
“The apps were "prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order", said the ministry order.
The first round of bans was announced days after 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a clash with the Chinese troops at Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on June 15.