Trump said he will ban Chinese-owned short-video app Tik Tok in the US

Maryland: U.S. President Donald trump said on Friday, July 31 that he was planning to sign an executive order as soon as Saturday, August 1 banning Chinese-owned short-video app TikTok from the United States.

The move would be the culmination of U.S. national security concerns over the safety of the personal data that TikTok handles. It would represent a major blow for TikTok's owner, Beijing-based ByteDance, which became one of only a handful of truly global Chinese conglomerates thanks to the app's commercial success. "As far as TikTok is concerned, we are banning them from the United States... I will sign the document tomorrow," Trump told reporters on Air Force One.

Trump's announcement followed frantic negotiations on Friday between the White House, ByteDance and potential buyers of TikTok, including Microsoft Corp. They failed to produce a deal that would result in the Chinese company shedding the app's U.S. operations, according to people familiar with the matter. The talks are expected to continue in the coming days.

Pompeo says closed Chinese consulate in Houston was 'den of spies'

Washington DC: U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Thursday, July 30 the "tide is turning" in U.S. dealings with China, saying there is international support for American policies, including the step-up of maritime maneuvers in the South China Sea.

Reflecting rising tensions between Washington and Beijing, Pompeo took a tough line on China in testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "We see the Chinese Communist Party for what it is: the center threat of our times," Pompeo said. In recent days, Washington and Beijing have each closed one of the other country's consulates - the United States closing China's office in Houston and China retaliating by shuttering the U.S. facility in Chengdu - and Pompeo recently announced an end to Hong Kong's special trading status.

"We closed the consulate in Houston because it was a den of spies," Pompeo said. Pompeo was testifying publicly at Foreign Relations Committee hearing for the first time in 15 months, discussing the State Department's annual budget request.

President Donald Trump's administration has tried to slash the State Department budget since it took office, which has been rejected by Congress every year. Democratic lawmakers told the hearing that they would not support steep cuts this year either.

India: After ban on 59 Chinese Apps, 275 more apps including PubG on security agency radar

New Delhi: The government of India may soon ban Player Unknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) in India. PUBG is one of the most popular smartphone mobile games in India and many other countries. suggesting a ban on 275 apps have started to surface online a month after the Indian government banned 59 Chinese apps, including popular ones like TikTok, UC Browser, citing data security concerns.

PUBG has been developed by a South Korean video game company called Bluehole. However, Chinese multinational conglomerate Tencent holds a considerable amount of share in the popular game. The government is considering a ban on the battle royale format game over data security concerns. Several apps have been on the radar lately owing to alleged data-sharing practices with the Chinese government.

PUBG has been subject to heavy criticism several times in the past but for a different reason. After receiving several complaints from parents and guardians, some state governments across the nation put a temporary ban on the gaming app for its addictive nature that had a psychological impact on players, especially youngsters.
For PubG, India is its largest market, according to app intelligence firm Sensor Tower estimates, generating about 175 million installs to date, or 24% of the total downloads. PUBG had, then, assured to take feedback from parents, educators and government organisations to create a safe ecosystem that would enhance the game playing experience. 

India’s neighbouring country, Pakistan, too has banned PUBG earlier this month on the grounds of addictive nature of the game that is detrimental to the player’s health. Later, on July 26, a Pakistan court lifted the ban. 
Asia’s fifth-largest economy is now the battleground for Chinese and American internet majors that are vying to dominate one of the world’s largest and most open internet markets, with an estimated base of 450 million smartphone users.

Govt of India asks 59 Chinese apps to ensure strict compliance to ban orders; warns of action on violation

New Delhi: After banning 59 apps of Chinese origin, the government on Tuesday directed them to ensure strict compliance to its orders, and warned of serious action in case of any violation, according to an official source.

The government on June 29 had banned 59 apps with Chinese links, including TikTok, CamScanner and UC Browser, saying they were prejudicial to sovereignty, integrity and security of the country. The government source told that the IT Ministry has now written to all these companies, warning that continued availability and operation of these banned apps, directly or indirectly, is not only illegal but also an offence under the Information Technology Act and other applicable Acts, which would attract penal provisions.

If any app in the banned list is found to be made available by the company through any means for use within India, directly or indirectly, it would be construed as a violation of the government orders, the source added. All these companies have been directed to ensure strict compliance of the orders of the ministry, failing which serious action will be taken, the source said.

The ministry in a communication sent to these companies has mentioned that the ban imposed was in exercise of the sovereign powers and section 69A of the Information Technology Act, and that the said companies should ensure strict compliance to the order issued in this regard.

The IT Ministry's statement of June 29 on banning of 59 mobile apps had cited numerous complaints received from various sources, including several reports about misuse of some mobile apps available on Android and iOS platforms for "stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users' data in an unauthorised manner to servers which have locations outside India".
"The compilation of these data, its mining and profiling by elements hostile to national security and defence of India, which ultimately impinges upon the sovereignty and integrity of India, is a matter of very deep and immediate concern which requires emergency measures," the ministry statement had said.

The ban is also applicable for WeChat and Bigo Live. The list of apps that have been banned include Helo, Likee, CamScanner, Vigo Video, Mi Video Call ? Xiaomi, Clash of Kings as well as e-commerce platforms Club Factory and Shein.

The IT ministry had invoked its power under section 69A of the IT Act and rules to block the 59 apps in view of information available that they were "engaged in activities which are prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order".

ECONOMY: China's GDP declines 1.6% in first half of 2020, up 3.2% in Q2

Beijing: China's economy declined 1.6 percent year on year in the first half of 2020, but grew by 3.2 percent in the second quarter, according to the data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Thursday. Liu Aihua, spokeswoman of the NBS, released the data and explained the overall trend at a press conference in Beijing.

"China's epidemic prevention and control continues to improve and the resumption of work, production, business, and market have been accelerating. As a result, the economy shifted from slowing down to rising in the first half of 2020 with economic growth in the second quarter changing from negative to positive and main indicators showing recovering growth.The economy recovered gradually, the basic livelihood was ensured effectively, market expectation was generally good, and the overall social development was stable," she said.

The world's second-largest economy grew by 3.2 percent in April-June from a year earlier, reversing a 6.8-percent decline in the first quarter. "According to the preliminary estimates, the gross domestic product (GDP) of China was 45,661.4 billion yuan in the first half of 2020, a year-on-year decline of 1.6 percent at comparable prices. The GDP for the first quarter declined by 6.8 percent year on year and that for the second quarter grew by 3.2 percent. The value added of the primary industry was 2,605.3 billion yuan, a year-on-year growth of 0.9 percent; that of the secondary industry was 17,275.9 billion yuan, down by 1.9 percent; and that of the tertiary industry was 25,780.2 billion yuan, down by 1.6 percent," she said. 

The GDP in the second quarter grew by 11.5 percent quarter on quarter, Liu added.

US Secretary of State Pompeo says to impose visa curbs on Huawei over rights

Washington DC: U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday the United States would impose visa restrictions on Chinese companies like Huawei Technologies Co Ltd , which he accused of facilitating human right violations.

Pompeo told a news conference the State Department would "impose visa restrictions on certain employees of Chinese technology companies like Huawei that provide material support to regimes engaging in human rights violations and abuses globally."

Pompeo also said that "Faster is always better to get this equipment out of their system. It's a security risk. This isn't about commercial interests. This is about protecting the information, in this case, of the United Kingdom's people." in terms of getting Huawei out of telecoms infrastructure when asked about British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's order that Huawei equipment be purged completely from Britain's 5G network by the end of 2027.