U.S. President Trump Monday (Aug .3) said the TikTok would be banned in the United States if it not completed by September 15. Zhang Yiming then sent an internal letter to the company's employees twice.
Chinese Internet company byte beat red short video app shake sound and news app "headlines today ", but its founder Zhang Yiming has been relatively low-key. Recently, however, the U. S. government banned the overseas version TikTok the storm, the Chinese high-tech upstart was suddenly pushed to the top of the the target of Chinese netizens.
U.S. President Trump Monday (August 3) said TikTok would be banned in the United States if the sale was not completed by September 15. After that, zhang yiming twice sent internal letters to the company's employees, saying that the forced sale was in line with the law procedures, igniting the anger of chinese netizens, many of whom accused him of "recognizing" so quickly.
Two internal letters set off public opinion
An internal letter sent on August 3, Zhang Yiming gave a brief description of the U.S. ban on TikTok.
Zhang Yiming said in the letter that for nearly a year, he has been actively cooperating with the U.S. Overseas Investment Commission (CFIUS) in its investigation of the company's acquisition of musical.ly by the end of 2017, although he has always stressed that he is a private enterprise, but has not been recognized. The U.S. Overseas Investment Commission still determines that byte beat must be sold TikTok the United States.
"We do not agree with this decision because we have always insisted on ensuring user data security, platform neutrality and transparency. Given the current environment, we must also face CFIUS decisions and executive orders from the US president, without giving up exploring any possibility. "he said.
Zhang Yiming's letter language is more calm and gentle, but caused the dissatisfaction of some Weibo netizens, some netizens pointed out that he "recognized "," surrendered "," kneel down ", questioned why he did not resist.
"Be cut a knife, also understand the other side said that people do not want to do so ," Weibo netizen" and Xu Xing 99" said.
Weibo netizen "Max Stores Pear" said :" the United States iron heart to you to sell, bytes are not TikTok. But not even a statement of resistance, this is the attitude problem. Zhang Yiming's internal letter, still think this American government -led acquisition is in line with the law, sold and praised, this is not cheap what? "
On august 4th mr zhang sent another internal letter saying he understood public criticism of the company, but that most people were mistaken.
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"The focus is not at all CFIUS forcing the sale TikTok U.S. businesses to U.S. companies on the grounds that mergers and acquisitions endanger national security (which, though unreasonable, remain in law procedures, and we have no choice but to comply as businesses), but this is not the other party's purpose, or even the other party does not want to see, the real purpose is to want a comprehensive ban and more... "
In the company letter, he stressed that the byte beat was a "global company" and that company members should have a "Mars perspective ".
Appointed "spirit American"
Born in 1983, Zhang Yiming graduated from Nankai University, majoring in software engineering. In 2012, he started byte beat and launched the news app "headlines today ", which generated great commercial success while raising copyright disputes.
Byte beat launched a short video app in 2016, and the international version of TikTok was sought after around the world. Users can choose songs, shoot music short video, form their own works. Applications will also update users' favorite videos according to their hobbies.
Photo Copyright EPA
Zhang Yiming, the swordsman behind the two apps, kept a low profile. In previous Chinese media reports ," reason "and" quiet "were high-frequency words placed on him.
According to Forbes Global Billionaires' List 2020, released in April, Zhang Yiming's personal assets are $16.2 billion, ranking 61st in the world and 7th among China's richest people.
A few years ago, when he was interviewed by the media, he said he had his own views on society, business, politics and culture, but his views were not related to the product and would not add his own views to the product and the company. Today, his views seem to affect companies and products.
The recent storm has seen some Weibo netizens turn up his Weibo, many years ago accusing him of being a "spiritual American" and calling on other netizens to unload the chatter and "headlines today ". Spiritual Americans mean to worship Americans.
"I have never had much doubt about how strong China is when the US economic collapses ," he said in Weibo in 2011. Looking ahead, the U.S. has never fallen in the market for high-end, high-margin, high-threshold products and services. "
In 2012, Mr zhang once commented that the us news-sharing website was Digg bought for $500,000:" there are two things you can't do: lack of money, lack of confidence, and (china has a third that is shut down by zf). "
Zhang Yiming, why did you kneel so fast? According to the social app article, as Zhang Yiming's past words and deeds show, he is a speculator and, in a sense, a capitulationist ," but did the United States love you, does the United States love you? The answer is obviously no. "
Another comment by netizens is that after the implementation of Hong Kong's National Security Law in July, the overseas version TikTok decided to suspend operations in Hong Kong.
The British Broadcasting Corporation Asian business journalist Vasvali (Karishma Vaswani) has analyzed that TikTok suspension seems unusual and is a strategic step, with fears that the company is subject to Beijing, which has been trying to dispel doubts and try to change its international image. TikTok has repeatedly said that it will not hand over user information to Beijing, but if it remains in Hong Kong, it will be difficult for TikTok to keep this promise under the new legislation.
Rising nationalist sentiment
After the outbreak of the new crown this year, the relationship between China and the United States deteriorated, from the initial war of saliva to the recent exchange of customs consulates, international media have been discussing whether the "new cold war" has begun. Under such a background, the hope & quot; to go out & quot; Chinese enterprises and Chinese entrepreneurs in the gap between survival and self-existence has become extremely difficult.
Zhu Zhiqun, a professor of political science and international relationship at Bucknell University in the United States, believes that Zhang Yiming's letter is all true, and the response of netizens is basically a "resentful youth" reaction, accusing him of exaggerating the "kneeling down" of the United States and not really understanding the byte beat or the challenges other Chinese companies face overseas especially the development of the United States.
Nationalism on both sides will rise when relationship in China and the United States are at a low ebb, he told The British Broadcasting Corporation Chinese.
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"It's not news that the Chinese advocate America. The democracy and freedom of the United States is the yearning of Chinese intellectuals and ordinary people in the past dynasties. Advocating American culture and supporting the current government policy towards China are two different things. Unfortunately, the relationship between China and the United States is deteriorating, Internet users are easily excited, easy to confuse different things. "he said.
In addition to shaking, Chinese companies may also be targeted by U.S. government or other countries. India recently banned 59 Chinese-related applications, The reason is threat national sovereignty and security. TikTok and social app on the list; Other familiar names are among them, Including Baidu map, Baidu translation, Weibo and so on.
Zhu Zhiqun believes that in the fierce competition between China and the United States, Chinese enterprises are easy to become victims of the competition between the two countries in science and technology and market, especially in Trump term.
"Chinese enterprises seeking to survive in the gap can consider entering the international market in a joint venture way and cooperating with other reputable enterprises to jointly develop the international market. Another side government also difficult to'national security' to suppress Sino-foreign joint ventures. "He said.
