Two weeks before President-elect Joe Biden takes over, Donald Trump has bared US transactions with eight Chinese apps including Alipay, CamScanner, QQ Wallet, SHAREit, Tencent QQ, VMate, WeChat Pay, and WPS Office.
The ban will go into effect in 45 days from the day of notice. In an order issued on 5th, the Trump administration explains that the mentioned apps “threaten the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States.”
“At this time, action must be taken to address the threat posed by these Chinese connected software applications,” the order reads.
Other information provided on order is also strikingly similar to previously issued “executive orders” from the administration.
These apps can reportedly access and capture vast amounts of data, including sensitive personally identifiable information and private information, that threatens to give the Chinese government access to Americans’ personal and proprietary information, the order states.
With such data, these apps can “permit China to track the locations of Federal employees and contractors, and build dossiers of personal information,” the order adds.
The recent ban adds more pressure to an already strained US-China relationship. The US has banned dozens of Chinese tech companies, including Huawei, its affiliates, and ZTE. They have also made bold moves in the recent past to block transactions with TikTok and WeChat.
Both are yet to be banned after being bailed out by injunctions.
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