Is the Tik Tok issue more about Tik Tok, security or about US leadership?
Answer
Answer
Will Trump freeze Tik Tok on 21 September? Most likely, he will. Bytedance will have to be either sold without the algorithm or remain a Chinese company. Neither seems likely to happen. The real battle could just be about to start.
In a way, you have hit the nail on the head. This is a lot beyond Tik Tok because there are two powerful nations fighting for greater space and greater legitimacy. It is less about security and more about who becomes the natural leader for the world to look up to?
One must not forget that China displayed tremendous fighting spirit during the Sino-US trade war. China has a unique position in global trade and investments. As per World Bank estimates, China will be the only major country to show positive GDP growth in FY2020.
For China, the Tik Tok is just a kind of proxy war initiated by the US. In fact, you can say that it is trade war extrapolated to investments and global ownership. China does not want the US to dictate terms. With the US elections approaching, it is a case of who blinks first?