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US to ban transactions with ByteDance and WeChat in 45 days

asia.nikkei.com

231–240 of 1001 posts

Re: US to ban transactions with ByteDance and WeChat in 45 days

#231

Instagram Reels is launching at a "convenient" time.. . . ..

I do wonder if there's a deeper connection than Facebook simply having this feature ready to go and releasing it early. Was there cooperation of the sorts "you ban TikTok and we'll release Instagram Reels early to help distract upset users"?

Re: US to ban transactions with ByteDance and WeChat in 45 days

#232
post #189

Earlier quoted context omitted.

More likely the end of one-sided free markets. There's no suggestion that the US is about to pull the same shit on countries that don't try and hobble US tech companies.

The EU will probably start to tax tech companies that avoid taxes by registering in tax havens within the next few years. If that's the US' sole motivation, it seems like a receipt for disaster.

That sounds like it’s more likely to raise US tax revenues tho, so I imagine there’ll be a lot of wailing and gnashing of teeth, and no action.

Re: US to ban transactions with ByteDance and WeChat in 45 days

#233
post #145

Does anyone know what the definition of a transaction is? The executive action is not clear at all and provides no definition of transaction. Big surprise. Furthermore, what is the government going to do if I refuse to stop using WeChat? Is the U.S. going to embark on blocking the app at the network level? If not, how will they enforce this? What if a person as defined in the order travels to China? Are they banned f…

I think most likely Apple and Google will have to remove TikTok and WeChat from the app store in U.S. If you install manually on Android you would probably be able to continue to use it. The executive order only bans transactions (since that is the limit of the power granted to president by IEEPA), so the executive has no authority to "block the app at the network level" -- the IEEPA explicitly restricts the prohibition of "any postal, telegraphic, telephonic, or other personal communication, which does not involve a transfer of anything of value".

AFAIK the term "transaction" comes directly from IEEPA since that is the law that lets the president make this executive order, so if you want more details on what is included in "transaction" you can see the text at https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/50/chapter-35

Re: US to ban transactions with ByteDance and WeChat in 45 days

#234
post #188

Seems pretty weak to be honest. Definitely not the "American Great Firewall" that some were predicting.

After 45 days, would anyone logging into a Wechat server in China be guilty of circumventing an embargo? Would they have to actually be sending money?

Re: US to ban transactions with ByteDance and WeChat in 45 days

#235
post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thats how world wars break out.

I might get downvoted for this but I think it's a very real possibility. Withdraw the embassy from Beijing, recognize Taiwan and force a embargo of all Taiwanese/Korean and Japanese semiconductor supplies and components to Mainland China. Then sit back and let China then make the first move. Might not work, but at this point I wouldn't put it past somebody in the White House having already gamed it. There has never b…

but I think it's a very real possibility.

I'm classing it as a certainty. Have a read of the Wolfowitz Doctrine and work out what it necessitates, and that to be done very soon.

Even so, I believe the US has 'missed the bus'. It needed to have initiated vigorous conflict earlier this year to be sure of victory in that coming war. It can't start anything worthwhile now until at least the next Spring-Summer campaign season. By then China will have had another 12 months of growth, and the US another 12 months of decline.

Re: US to ban transactions with ByteDance and WeChat in 45 days

#236
post #228

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That’s the behaviour of a dictatorship country. And now America is being like one. This is probably what China wants for America.

America primarily sells technology. China primarily sells goods. China is totally free to sell goods into America. China has blockaded America's technology, unless the companies agree to essentially hand over IP so China can steal it (Huawei operated a cash bonus scheme for stolen IP, according to the DoJ). Does this sound like "free trade"?

Don't know why you're getting downvoted but it is lopsided trade.

Re: US to ban transactions with ByteDance and WeChat in 45 days

#237

Are we witnessing the end of free markets? Or the growth of decentralization? These sorts of moves are making a very strong case for decentralized platforms.

More likely the end of one-sided free markets. There's no suggestion that the US is about to pull the same shit on countries that don't try and hobble US tech companies.

Given the current regime, how can you be sure?

Re: US to ban transactions with ByteDance and WeChat in 45 days

#238
post #25

Is there any precedent for a president to do such a thing? I am completely astonished and dumbstruck that everyone is ok with this.

Dumbstruck that we wouldn’t allow an adversarial country collect data on all of our citizens locations? And potentially more?

It isn't the country directly collecting and analyzing data. It is a company. Chinese companies are required to share data, but so are U.S. companies.

If we focus on the companies, why is okay that U.S. companies are able to collect nearly arbitrary data on all U.S. citizens and participate in propaganda?

Re: US to ban transactions with ByteDance and WeChat in 45 days

#239
post #189

Earlier quoted context omitted.

More likely the end of one-sided free markets. There's no suggestion that the US is about to pull the same shit on countries that don't try and hobble US tech companies.

The EU will probably start to tax tech companies that avoid taxes by registering in tax havens within the next few years. If that's the US' sole motivation, it seems like a receipt for disaster.

I believe there is widespread support in the US for ending tax haven loopholes.

Re: US to ban transactions with ByteDance and WeChat in 45 days

#240
post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

US is merely reciprocating the policies of CCP: let them allow US companies to compete fairly in China as well.

Yes, by mirroring China’s authoritarianism and restricting the freedom of Americans. I’m living overseas and now my government is telling me I can’t use WeChat? Telling me who I can and cannot trade with, etc. Restrictions on trade with China are attacks on our freedom.

How do you feel about restrictions on trade with North Korea, Syria, or Iran?
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