China has expressed its strong disapproval towards the possibility of a compulsory sale of TikTok

In response to the Biden administration’s demands for the Chinese owners of TikTok to sell their share of the company or face a ban in the US, China has stated that it would “firmly oppose” any forced sale of the app.

This marks China’s first direct response to the matter. The TikTok CEO, Shou Chew, faced questioning from US lawmakers amidst increasing scrutiny over the app’s ties to Beijing.

The Chinese commerce ministry has warned that a compulsory sale of TikTok would severely harm global investors’ confidence in the US.

The ministry’s spokesperson, Shu Jueting, stated in a news conference in Beijing that if the news is accurate, China would strongly oppose it.

She added that any potential deal would need approval from the Chinese government and that the sale or divestiture of TikTok involves technology export, hence, administrative licensing procedures must be performed in accordance with Chinese laws and regulations.

The Chinese government will make a decision in accordance with the law.