House Republican dismisses China trolling on his support for TikTok ban: ‘I will not be silenced’
A site owned by the Chinese government accused Rep. Mike McCaul of being 'afraid' of TikTok
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A top House Republican is dismissing China's effort to troll him into supporting TikTok, and said the fact that China is making noise about his support for banning the platform means he's doing the right thing.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, had tweeted in support of Texas A&M and the University of Texas for banning TikTok, the Chinese-owned social media platform, from their campus Wi-Fi.
"TikTok is the Chinese Communist Party's backdoor into American phones. @TAMU and @UTAustin made the right decision in blocking it on campus Wi-Fi," McCaul tweeted Thursday.
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Congressman Michael McCaul (Jordan Vonderhaar/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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Chen Weihua, a bureau chief and columnist for China Daily, a China state-affiliated media company, goaded the congressman in a reply.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"If freedom and democracy is so powerful, why are you afraid of TikTok? Sad that Texas schools are turning McCarthyist," Weihua said. "TikTok is not much different than Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Just more popular. No loser saboteur mindset, please."
Rep. Michael McCaul leads the House Foreign Affairs Committee and China Task Force. (AP/Andrew Harnik)
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McCaul, who also chairs the House’s China Task Force, told Fox News Digital he welcomes China's reaction.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"When you begin being trolled by Chinese state propagandists, you know you’re doing something right," he said.
TikTok is among the most frequently downloaded social media apps worldwide – including in the U.S. – specifically among young users. (CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
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"It’s no secret that TikTok is beholden to the Chinese Communist Party, and I will not be silenced in calling out the app for its malign practices," McCaul said.