https://www.rt.com/news/499272-china-wechat-boycott-apple-iphone/
Beijing warns that Chinese consumers may BOYCOTT Apple if US goes through with WeChat ban
28 Aug, 2020 06:48
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Pro-China protesters breaks an iPhone outside U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong © REUTERS/Bobby Yip
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Chinese citizens could soon abandon their iPhones for good if Washington bans popular messaging app WeChat, Beijing has warned, pointing to survey data showing most consumers are ready to ditch Apple.
“If WeChat is banned, then there will be no reason why Chinese shall keep iPhone and Apple products,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijan tweeted on Thursday, sharing a video from his most recent press conference, where he accused the US administration of “piracy” over a ban on the chat app ordered earlier this month.
Zhao said he was aware of a survey, conducted by Chinese social media platform Weibo, which showed that about 95 percent of respondents would ditch their iPhone if WeChat ends up on a US blacklist. WeChat has more than 1.2 billion active users, most of them located in China.
Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order that would block all US transactions involving WeChat starting next month. The ban could potentially require Apple and other US firms to remove the messaging app from their app stores.
Also on rt.com Apple, Disney, Ford and Walmart among corporate giants pushing back against Trump's WeChat ban – report
During the press briefing, Zhao denounced Washington’s attempts to shut out non-US companies under the guise of “national security,” arguing that the WeChat ban was an ideologically-driven form of “economic bullying.”
The feud over WeChat comes amid growing political and economic tensions between Washington and Beijing. The Trump administration has taken aim at dozens of Chinese firms, most notably Huawei, accusing the companies of collaborating with the Chinese government.
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https://www.rt.com/usa/497926-wechat-ban-companies-report/
Apple, Disney, Ford and Walmart among corporate giants pushing back against Trump's WeChat ban – report
13 Aug, 2020 14:54
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WeChat app displayed in the App Store on a smartphone. © Drew Angerer / Getty Images North America / AFP
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Major US companies have reportedly told the White House they are worried about losing access to the lucrative Chinese market after Trump signed an order targeting the popular Chinese WeChat app.
Citing sources familiar with the situation, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that "more than a dozen" US corporations had raised concerns in a recent call with White House staff about the "the potentially broad scope and impact" of the WeChat ban. According to the paper, Apple, Intel, Walmart, Disney, and Ford were among the companies that participated in the call. The companies declined to comment on the issue.
The executive order signed by US President Donald Trump last week would within 45 days prohibit Americans from doing business with Tencent, the owner of WeChat app. A similar order was issued against the Chinese company ByteDance, which owns the TikTok video-sharing service. Trump described both apps as threats to national security, accusing them of collecting the personal data of Americans and sharing them with the Chinese government. Beijing has repeatedly denied these claims.
Also on rt.com Colonialism 2.0: US assault on TikTok is latest step in building monopoly on hearts & minds of internet-connected world
It is still unclear how Trump's order would be enforced. But an effective ban on WeChat, which is used by more than 1.2 billion people worldwide, could damage the US companies' ability to advertise in China, where the app is extremely popular. According to some estimates, annual iPhone shipments could decline by 25 to 30 percent if the Silicon Valley giant removes WeChat from its global app stores. In a similar fashion, the shipments of gear like iPads, AirPods, and Mac computers, could drop by 15 to 25 percent.
The attack on WeChat and TikTok was made amid a string of hostilities between Washington and Beijing, as the US continues to insist that China uses it popular IT brands, such as Huawei, for surveillance and espionage. When asked by the WSJ about the recent conference call with American companies, the White House stated that it is focused on "protecting the American people from all cyber-related threats."
Reacting to Trump's orders last week, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin reiterated that Chinese companies strictly abide by US laws and regulation. Wang claimed that the ban is "a blatant hegemonic act," while the allegations of spying are just an excuse to "suppress" non-American firms doing business in the US.
Also on rt.com ‘I like him, but I don’t feel the same way now’: Trump claims Covid-19 pandemic spoiled ‘very good relationship’ with China’s Xi
Beijing warns that Chinese consumers may BOYCOTT Apple if US goes through with WeChat ban
28 Aug, 2020 06:48
Get short URL
Pro-China protesters breaks an iPhone outside U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong © REUTERS/Bobby Yip
Follow RT on
Chinese citizens could soon abandon their iPhones for good if Washington bans popular messaging app WeChat, Beijing has warned, pointing to survey data showing most consumers are ready to ditch Apple.
“If WeChat is banned, then there will be no reason why Chinese shall keep iPhone and Apple products,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijan tweeted on Thursday, sharing a video from his most recent press conference, where he accused the US administration of “piracy” over a ban on the chat app ordered earlier this month.
Zhao said he was aware of a survey, conducted by Chinese social media platform Weibo, which showed that about 95 percent of respondents would ditch their iPhone if WeChat ends up on a US blacklist. WeChat has more than 1.2 billion active users, most of them located in China.
Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order that would block all US transactions involving WeChat starting next month. The ban could potentially require Apple and other US firms to remove the messaging app from their app stores.
Also on rt.com Apple, Disney, Ford and Walmart among corporate giants pushing back against Trump's WeChat ban – report
During the press briefing, Zhao denounced Washington’s attempts to shut out non-US companies under the guise of “national security,” arguing that the WeChat ban was an ideologically-driven form of “economic bullying.”
The feud over WeChat comes amid growing political and economic tensions between Washington and Beijing. The Trump administration has taken aim at dozens of Chinese firms, most notably Huawei, accusing the companies of collaborating with the Chinese government.
Like this story? Share it with a friend!
https://www.rt.com/usa/497926-wechat-ban-companies-report/
Apple, Disney, Ford and Walmart among corporate giants pushing back against Trump's WeChat ban – report
13 Aug, 2020 14:54
Get short URL
WeChat app displayed in the App Store on a smartphone. © Drew Angerer / Getty Images North America / AFP
Follow RT on
Major US companies have reportedly told the White House they are worried about losing access to the lucrative Chinese market after Trump signed an order targeting the popular Chinese WeChat app.
Citing sources familiar with the situation, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that "more than a dozen" US corporations had raised concerns in a recent call with White House staff about the "the potentially broad scope and impact" of the WeChat ban. According to the paper, Apple, Intel, Walmart, Disney, and Ford were among the companies that participated in the call. The companies declined to comment on the issue.
The executive order signed by US President Donald Trump last week would within 45 days prohibit Americans from doing business with Tencent, the owner of WeChat app. A similar order was issued against the Chinese company ByteDance, which owns the TikTok video-sharing service. Trump described both apps as threats to national security, accusing them of collecting the personal data of Americans and sharing them with the Chinese government. Beijing has repeatedly denied these claims.
Also on rt.com Colonialism 2.0: US assault on TikTok is latest step in building monopoly on hearts & minds of internet-connected world
It is still unclear how Trump's order would be enforced. But an effective ban on WeChat, which is used by more than 1.2 billion people worldwide, could damage the US companies' ability to advertise in China, where the app is extremely popular. According to some estimates, annual iPhone shipments could decline by 25 to 30 percent if the Silicon Valley giant removes WeChat from its global app stores. In a similar fashion, the shipments of gear like iPads, AirPods, and Mac computers, could drop by 15 to 25 percent.
The attack on WeChat and TikTok was made amid a string of hostilities between Washington and Beijing, as the US continues to insist that China uses it popular IT brands, such as Huawei, for surveillance and espionage. When asked by the WSJ about the recent conference call with American companies, the White House stated that it is focused on "protecting the American people from all cyber-related threats."
Reacting to Trump's orders last week, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin reiterated that Chinese companies strictly abide by US laws and regulation. Wang claimed that the ban is "a blatant hegemonic act," while the allegations of spying are just an excuse to "suppress" non-American firms doing business in the US.
Also on rt.com ‘I like him, but I don’t feel the same way now’: Trump claims Covid-19 pandemic spoiled ‘very good relationship’ with China’s Xi
