Apple CEO Tim Cook follows a conversation about mental health during a program for spouses on the final day of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Week at Apple Park in San Francisco, California on the 17th November 2023.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds | Afp | Getty Images
Apple Friday said it had mined several messaging apps like HalfWhatsApp and Threads from the App Store in China after the nation’s government ordered their removal, citing security concerns.
The move further intensifies tensions between the United States and China over technology and other policies. In recent days, Congress has sought to fast-track legislation to push TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest itself of the social media app. The House could vote on a new bill as early as Saturday, and US President Joe Biden has said he will sign it into law if it reaches his desk.
“We are obligated to follow the laws of the countries in which we operate, even when we disagree,” Apple said in a statement. “The Cyberspace Administration of China ordered the removal of these apps from the Chinese store based on national security concerns.”
Other messaging platforms such as Signal and Telegram have also been removed from the Chinese App Store.
The tense relationship between the two countries has also pushed Apple to look to diversify its supply chain outside of China. The company has expanded its manufacturing operations to other nations such as India and Vietnam.
China has a long history of restricting online access to content from the United States, but some platforms such as WhatsApp and Threads have historically been allowed through its App Store. These platforms are not as popular among Chinese users as others like WeChat, but their removal reduces the number of ways they can communicate with people outside the country.
Meta referred CNBC to Apple for comment. Signal and Telegram did not immediately respond to requests for comment.