New Delhi (NVI): A day after India decided to ban 59 Chinese mobile apps, Beijing reacted today saying that it was “seriously concerned” about the Indian government’s move while terming the action as “discriminatory”.
Yesterday, Union Minister of Communications, Electronics and Information Technology, Ravi Shankar Prasad said the move was taken to ensure the country’s integrity and protect data and privacy of Indians.
“For safety, security, defence, sovereignty & integrity of India and to protect data & privacy of people of India the Government has banned 59 mobile apps. Jai Hind!” the Minister said in a tweet yesterday after his Ministry took the decision to ban several apps including TikTok, Shareit, WeChat, etc.
The Chinese embassy in India today said in a statement that the move “selectively and discriminatorily” aims at Chinese apps on “ambiguous grounds” and was in violation of international trade rules.
“#China is seriously concerned with & firmly opposed to #India’s blocking certain #Chinese mobile apps. It runs against fair & transparent procedure requirements & abuses national security exceptions. We urge #India to change discriminatory practices,” Spokesperson of Chinese Embassy in India, Ji Rong said in a tweet.
The Indian Government has banned 59 Chinese apps while citing the “emergent nature of threats” from mobile applications. The Ministry of Information and Technology yesterday said that it has banned the apps based on the information that they were engaged in activities “prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity, defence, security and public order” in India.
India and China are currently locked in a bitter standoff at multiple locations in Eastern Ladakh, especially after the June 15 violent clash between the Indian and Chinese troops in Galwan Valley in which 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives.
The Chinese Embassy statement also comes on a day when the Corps Commanders of India and China are holding a meeting a Chushul, as part of efforts to de-escalate the situation at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). This is the third meeting between the top military commanders from both sides, the earlier one being on June 6 and June 22.
-ARK
