India’s actions are in violation of WTO rules, says China's Ministry of Commerce spokesman Gao Feng
Beijing on Thursday said it was hoping New Delhi would reconsider its actions against Chinese companies after India banned Chinese mobile apps following a deadly border clash involving soldiers from both sides.
China has not adopted any restrictive or discriminatory measures against Indian products and services, Ministry of Commerce spokesman Gao Feng told reporters in an online briefing, adding that India’s actions are in violation of WTO rules.
India on Monday banned 59, mostly Chinese, mobile apps including Bytedance's TikTok, Alibaba's UC Browser, and Tencent's WeChat citing security concerns
The apps are "prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order", India's ministry of information technology said.
The ban comes after a deadly border conflict between the two nuclear-armed nations earlier this month in which 20 Indian soldiers have died.
"The Ministry of Information Technology, invoking it’s power under section 69A of the Information Technology Act read with the relevant provisions of the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking of Access of Information by Public) Rules 2009 and in view of the emergent nature of threats has decided to block 59 apps since in view of information available they are engaged in activities which is prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order," the press release said.
India's Minister for Electronics and Information Technology and Communications Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the step was taken for "safety, security, defence, sovereignty & integrity of India".