Trump’s campaign against TikTok is not about security or free speech – the US is scared of Chinese competition

The US president's threatened crackdown on the popular video sharing app is driven by personal motives which coincide with the agenda of the increasingly influential China, says Vince Cable

Donald Trump is campaigning to ban TikTok in the USA. (EPA)

When 20 Indian soldiers (and several Chinese) were killed on June 15 this year, in a brawl with Chinese troops on a remote Himalayan frontier, the battle – largely fought with fists, sticks and stones – was some way short of World War Three. But it set in train events which are proving to be central to the emerging Cold War between China and assorted adversaries, led by the USA.

In retaliation, India hit on a particular Chinese vulnerability: the large overseas exposure of some of its tech companies. According to 2019 data, India’s 600 million plus internet users download onto their mobile phones 20 billion apps: more downloads than in any other country. Indians are (or were) avid users of some Chinese apps, particularly the video sharing TikTok which is even more popular in India than in China. So, India banned TikTok and other Chinese apps. President Trump has said he will do the same, ramping up conflict with China on economic and political issues to a level not experienced for almost half a century.

For anyone not familiar, TikTok provides 15 to 60 second videos featuring comedy, dance and other performances. Millions love it and the founder, Zhang Yiming, has marketed the app through the company Byte Dance, which last year made $3bn (£2.3) profit. The company claims, almost certainly correctly, that it has no connection with the Chinese authorities and no political agenda: that it is just a successful and popular capitalist enterprise with a Chinese owner (and an ex-Disney CEO).