China reportedly confirms it’ll play a role in sale of TikTok

A Chinese official on Thursday reportedly emphasized the country’s authority to approve or block the sale of some technologies abroad, appearing to confirm that the government plans to play a critical role in any deal to sell off TikTok’s US operations. 

On Aug. 28, China updated the country’s export-control rules to cover sensitive technology, possibly including algorithms that power TikTok’s recommendations and help boost viral trends. The updated regulations may require Beijing-based ByteDance, which owns TikTok, to obtain a government license before selling the technology.

“If related enterprises are transferring technology abroad during trade, investment or technical cooperation that fall under the regulations, they are advised to immediately consult provincial-level commerce department offices and handle that in accordance with the law,” said Ministry of Commerce spokesman Gao Feng during a briefing on Thursday, according to Bloomberg. He reportedly added that the new regulations aren’t targeted at specific companies. 

TikTok didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. 

More to come.