TikTok is not helping US-China relations

TikTok begins its fast-approaching US ban on January 19. The fate of the social media platform is as ambiguous as… The relationship between the United States and China.

Ambassador Nick Burns believes TikTok and other Chinese-founded social media apps amount to a strategy to undermine America from within because the relationship between the two countries is “very competitive, very challenging and very contentious,” he told FOX Business.

“I think it’s strategic. As you know, China is a very important global power. They want to overtake the United States in power. They want to weaken us,” he said.

Burns also noted that the Chinese Communist Party runs a massive propaganda machine that censors information about freedoms in the United States and distorts our problems, ultimately making the United States look bad.

TIKTOK CEO will attend the inauguration with a front row seat at Trump’s invitation

As for TikTok, Burns explained that it is a battle for ideas Any Chinese company is ultimately accountable to the Chinese government. A White House source familiar with the situation told FOX Business that President Biden supported the bipartisan bill that is now law banning the app, but since Jan. 19 falls on a Sunday, it will be up to the Trump administration to follow through on the ban. This was upheld by the Supreme Court on Friday. Opening day is January 20th.

President-elect Donald Trump on Friday provided details of his recent phone call with the Chinese president.

“I just spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The call was very good for both China and the United States. I expect that we will solve many problems together, starting immediately. We have discussed balancing trade, fentanyl, TikTok, and many other topics. The President and I will “Do everything we can to make the world more peaceful and secure.”

Trump and Chinese President speak by phone before the inauguration ceremony

Burns stressed that the United States must remain tough on China because the leaders of the Communist Party only understand force.

“And they have to pay the price. I mean I agree with you. “You know, I’ve spent the last several years debating and lobbying and arguing with Chinese leaders and what their real reactions are to our actions.” He believes the next administration needs to continue the pressure campaign against China. Burns believes in tariffs on Chinese goods and sanctions until the country creates a trading environment Fairer and treats American companies more fairly.

The AI ​​race between the United States and China is happening quickly

In testimony Wednesday for Trump’s Senate nominee for Secretary of State, Senator Marco Rubio, many questions centered around China. “The People’s Republic of China is the most powerful and dangerous adversary this nation has ever faced,” Rubio told senators. He added that there is a serious imbalance in relations between the United States and China.

Burns advises the United States to rely on its allies in Asia, adding: “Never in the history of the United States have we faced a competitor as strong as China. Therefore, we must make a whole-of-government effort to compete. One of the great advantages we have is that China has no allies in the world, and we have “Allies in Japan, South Korea, the Philippines and Australia.”

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The United States has not lost to China yet, but we must be vigilant.

“In fact, if I had to measure the strength of the United States versus China, we are stronger,” he added.

In order to keep it that way, he says a whole-of-government approach is needed.

Burns resigned on Friday after first walking through the doors of the State Department 45 years ago.