The Chinese government has issued a firm denial of allegations that it engages in unauthorized access to user data through companies like TikTok, following a record €530 million ($600 million) fine imposed on the platform by the European Union.
The fine, the second-largest ever levied by the EU for data privacy violations, was issued over TikTok’s alleged failure to safeguard user data from being accessed by Chinese authorities and for transferring European user data to China.
TikTok, owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, has announced plans to legally challenge the decision.
In an official statement, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected any claims of state-backed data collection, stating:
The ministry also urged the EU and the Irish government—where TikTok’s European headquarters is based—to ensure a fair, impartial, and non-discriminatory business environment for companies from all countries.
TikTok continues to face global scrutiny over its data practices amid growing concerns about national security and digital sovereignty. The platform has already been banned temporarily or permanently in various regions, including Pakistan, Nepal, and New Caledonia (France).
This latest action from the EU may further escalate pressure on ByteDance in the United States, where a law passed in 2024 requires the company to divest TikTok’s U.S. operations or face an outright ban.
As international tensions mount over data privacy and digital influence, TikTok remains at the center of a widening geopolitical tech clash between China and the West.
