New Delhi: After the US issued executive orders to block transactions with the Chinese owners of messaging app WeChat and video-sharing app TikTok, Beijing on Friday cited its opposition to the move. China will defend the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese businesses, AFP quoted foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin as saying.

Earlier today, US President Trump signed executive orders banning TikTok and WeChat, terming the popular Chinese apps a threat to the country’s national security and economy.

Notably, the executive order prohibits, beginning 45 days after the date of this order, to the extent permitted under applicable law, any transaction by any person, or with respect to any property, subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, with ByteDance Ltd. (a.k.a. Zijie Tiaodong), Beijing, China, or its subsidiaries, in which any such company has any interest, as identified by the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary),” Trump had said.

The order also directs all department and agencies to take all appropriate measures within their authority to implement the order, Trump said.

In a separate order, Trump alleged, “WeChat also captures the personal and proprietary information of Chinese nationals visiting the United States, thereby allowing the Chinese Communist Party a mechanism for keeping tabs on Chinese citizens who may be enjoying the benefits of a free society for the first time in their lives.”

“WeChat, like TikTok, also reportedly censors content that the Chinese Communist Party deems politically sensitive and may also be used for disinformation campaigns that benefit the Chinese Communist Party,” Trump said.

This comes nearly months after India banned 106 Chinese apps including TikTok and WeChat, citing national security concerns.