The Biden administration is threatening to ban the video-sharing app TikTok if its Chinese owners do not sell their stakes, The Wall Street Journal reported citing people familiar with the matter.
The report said on Wednesday that TikTok is advising that such forced selling will not resolve the United States’ national security concerns.
TikTok’s CEO Shou Zi Chew will testify before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on March 23.
Last week, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said the White House supports an effort in the US Congress to pass legislation granting new authorities to address threats posed by foreign technology, such as TikTok, to the United States.
The legislation, according to the White House, would empower the US government to prevent certain foreign governments from exploiting technology services operating in the United States in a way that poses risks to Americans’ sensitive data and US national security. The legislation comes amid concerns about ties between TikTok and the Chinese government.
The ban on TikTok and WeChat was part of a long-running diplomatic and trade war waged by the Trump administration against China prior to Biden’s term, which began in January 2021.
