China warns the US it will 'take all necessary measures' to protect TikTok after House voted to ban social media platform

China warned the US that it will take 'all necessary measures' to protect TikTok after Congress moved forward with bill that would ban the app unless it splits from its Chinese owner. 

The hostile state blasted Washington's 'bandit' mentality after the House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved the bill on Wednesday. 

The short-video app has soared in popularity worldwide but its ownership by Chinese technology giant ByteDance - and alleged subservience to Beijing's ruling Communist Party - has fueled concern in the West. 

In response to the ban, Beijing's commerce ministry spokesperson He Yadong said America 'should truly respect the principles of a market economy and fair competition (and) stop unjustly suppressing foreign companies.'

China has vowed to take 'all necessary measures' to protect TikTok, which could soon be banned in the US unless it splits from its Chinese owners 

US lawmakers overwhelmingly voted to approve the bill Wednesday, amid fears that TikTok is tracking users' locations and manipulating its algorithm to influence young American minds 

The newly passed legislation still has to clear the Senate before it becomes law, although it is expected to pass the upper chamber when it comes to a vote. 

The White House has also said President Joe Biden will sign the bill - known officially as the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act - into law if it reaches his desk. 

Prior to the vote, Beijing had warned that the proposed ban would 'inevitably come back to bite the United States.'

Officials echoed this warning following Wednesday's vote, as He Yadong insisted that 'China will take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard its legitimate rights and interests.'

Washington should also 'provide an open, fair, just, and non-discriminatory environment for foreign companies to invest and operate in the US,' He added. 

At a separate press briefing, foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said the vote 'runs contrary to the principles of fair competition and international economic and trade rules.'

'If so-called reasons of national security can be used to arbitrarily suppress excellent companies from other countries, then there is no fairness and justice at all,' Wang said.

'When someone sees a good thing another person has and tries to take it for themselves, this is entirely the logic of a bandit.' 

TikTok advocates gathered outside of the Capitol ahead of Wednesday's vote to push back against the bill, which passed in a 352-65 vote 

US lawmakers voted 352 in favor of the proposed law and 65 against, striking a rare note of unity in politically divided Washington.

But it faces a trickier path through the more cautious Senate, where some are wary of taking dramatic measures against an app with 170 million US users.

This played out in full force following the House vote, as Gen Z influencers shared their fury at the possibility of losing their favorite app, and with it their revenue streams and followings. 

The legislation is still expected by many to receive enough backers to become law, and the White House quickly urged lawmakers to take up the bill in the Senate. 

TikTok has consistently denied that it is under the control of China's Communist Party.

Its CEO Shou Zi Chew has urged users to speak out against the vote, and several TikTok creators interviewed by AFP voiced opposition to the proposed ban.

The app is at the center of long-running tensions between China and the United States, which have butted heads in recent years over technology, trade and human rights issues.

Lawmakers have expressed fears that TikTok is spying on users' locations and manipulating its algorithm to influence young American minds.  

China has repeatedly lashed out at what it views as a concerted attempt to 'suppress' China's rise.

Foreign minister Wang Yi said this month that Washington's 'desire to heap blame under any pretext has reached an unbelievable level.'

Washington has cited national security concerns to limit the activities of some Chinese companies in the United States, as well as the export of certain technologies to China that it deems sensitive.

European regulators are also concerned about the app, with the European Commission on Thursday quizzing TikTok and other platforms such as Facebook, Google and X on what they were doing to counter the risk of AI to elections, including through deepfakes.

Also on Thursday, Italy's competition authority imposed a fine of nearly $11 million over the app's failure to sufficiently protect minors.