What is WeChat? Why does Donald Trump want to ban it? And will the ban actually work?
- The main Chinese messaging app has over 1.2 billion users worldwide
- Details of US President’s proposals have yet to be fleshed out, but US companies may also find themselves affected
US President Donald Trump’s executive order banning the Chinese social media app WeChat uses sweeping language, but is vague on the details. Here is what we know so far about the ban on the most popular Chinese messaging app.
Why the ban?
Two executive orders issued on Thursday banning WeChat and video sharing app TikTok specifically cited national security, saying the apps “allow the Chinese Communist Party access to Americans’ personal and proprietary information”.
Trump and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have been ramping up the rhetorical attack on Chinese technology companies for months, saying they are beholden to the government in Beijing because of its own security laws.
How will the WeChat ban actually work?
The executive order prohibits “any transaction that is related to WeChat by any person, or with respect to any property, subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, with Tencent Holdings Ltd”, referring to the Hong Kong-listed mother company.
This implies the use of the app will effectively be banned but it is not clear how narrow or broad the definition of “transactions” will be.
The order said US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross “shall identify the transactions” that will be subjected to the prohibition, which will take effect on September 20 – 45 days after the order was issued.
The administration has previously called for the removal of these apps from US platforms such as Apple Store and Google Play.
Who will be affected?
WeChat, known as Weixin in China, is the primary messaging platform used in the country, where Western alternatives such as Facebook, WhatsApp and Telegram are banned.