New Chinese rules on export ban could hinder TikToK sale: Chinese news channel CGTN

Bengaluru: Chinese Internet firm ByteDance may have to suspend negotiations over the pending sale of its popular video-sharing app TikTok, a trade expert told Chinese news channel CGTN, after China released a revised catalogue of technologies that are subject to export bans or restrictions.

The revised catalogue, released on Thursday jointly by China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) and the Ministry of Science and Technology, added a total of 23 items subject to export restrictions while deleting four items prohibited from export, including microbial fertilizing and caffeine production technologies, CGTN reported.

CGTN, formerly known as CCTV-9 and CCTV News, is an international English-language news channel based in Beijing owned by China Central Television, a state-controlled broadcaster.


Cui Fan, a professor of international trade at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, told CGTN that China has been revising laws in recent years to standardize technological imports and exports, such as forbidding forced technological transfer from foreign companies.

Cui said some Chinese companies, such as ByteDance, could be affected by the new rule because its video-sharing app TikTok is in the middle of selling its U.S. assets that involve new technology included in China's new restriction list.

"The newly-added article 21 over 'personalized information push service technology based on data analysis' and article 18 about 'artificial intelligence interactive interface technology' may have something to do with ByteDance," Cui noted to CGTN.

ByteDance boasts a number of cutting-edge technologies in artificial intelligence and other spheres, and some technologies may have a close bearing on the adjusted catalogue, CGTN said.

The U.S. retail giant Walmart said Thursday that it’s teaming up with Microsoft in a bid for TikTok. In India, TikTok is in talks with Reliance Jio for a sale.

TikTok was among 59 apps banned by India in June over concerns of national security.