New Delhi: After India took the step to ban 59 Chinese apps, the US is also now looking at doing the same. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during an interview broadcast said that banning Chinese apps including Tik Tok is ‘something that US was looking’ into.


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"With respect to Chinese apps on people's cell phones, I can assure you the United States will get this one right too. I don't want to get out in front of the President (Donald Trump), but it's something we're looking,” Pompeo said in an interview with Fox News. The step is being planned as the US fears that the apps are being used for surveillance by the Chinese government.

Ever since the pandemic was announced the US has raised concern about the way Tik Tok's handles user data. The Reuters also said that the government had also questioned about Chinese laws that require domestic companies to 'support and cooperate with intelligence work controlled by the Chinese Communist Party'. The tensions in the US and China relationship is steadily increasing. Last month the US government had also announced visa restrictions on Chinese Communist Party officials over the National Security Law imposed on Hong Kong. The restriction was declared on ‘current and former communist party officials’ who are complicit in undermining Hong Kong’s autonomy.

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The US had supported India's decision of banning of 59 Chinese mobile apps citing security threat and data sharing concerns. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had said the step will "boost India's integrity and national security." Republican leader and Former US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley had also praised India’s decision to ban Chinese Apps in the wake of the violent clash of troops at the Galwan Valley, Ladakh.

The list of apps banned in India includes TikTok, SHAREit, US Browser, Baidu map, Helo, Mi Community, Club Factory, WeChat, UC News, Weibo, Xender, Meitu, CamScanner, and Clean Master - Cheetah Mobile. The order issued by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) said that the 59 mobile applications that have been banned by the Government of India "are prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, the security of the state and public order”.

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