Australia treated TikTok differently: China slams 'discriminatory' ban

China urged Australia to create a favourable environment for bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

China said Australia's "discriminatory" ban on TikTok from all federal government-owned devices harmed the interests of Australian businesses and the public, urging Canberra to treat all firms fairly, a commerce ministry statement said on Friday.

A smartphone with a displayed TikTok logo is placed on a computer motherboard in this illustration taken February 23, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration (REUTERS)

"Australia treated TikTok differently from other social media platforms and adopted discriminatory restrictive measures, which are not conducive to maintaining Australia's national security," the statement said.

China also urged Australia to create a favourable environment for bilateral economic and trade cooperation.