India banning PUBG among 118 Chinese apps triggers US call to 'freedom loving countries'

Openly backing India's move to ban 118 more mobile apps with Chinese links, including popular game PUBG,  United States on Wednesday called on all freedom-loving countries and companies to join " clean network." US State Department quoting Keith Krach, US Under Secretary of State for Ecomic Growth, Energy and Environment said, "India has already banned 100 plus Chinese apps. We call on all freedom-loving nations and companies to join Clean Network."

' Clean Network'

Earlier this year, Trump administration rolled out Clean Network program, a comprehensive approach to guarding its citizens' privacy and its companies' most sensitive information from aggressive intrusions by malign actors, such as Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

India's move to ban apps amid fresh border tensions with China in Ladakh.  118 apps banned on Wednesday include Baidu, Baidu Express Edition, Alipay, Tencent Watchlist, FaceU, WeChat reading, Government WeChat, Tencent Weiyun, APUS Launcher Pro, APUS Security, Cut Cut, ShareSave by Xiaomi, and CamCard, besides PUBG Mobile and PUBG Mobile Lite, according to an official release.

" Government blocks 118 mobile apps which are prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order," statement said. This takes total count of Chinese-linked mobile apps banned by India to 224.

'A matter of deep and immediate concern'

statement cited numerous complaints received by IT Ministry from various sources, including several reports about misuse of some mobile apps available on Android and iOS platforms for stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users' data to servers outside India.

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" compilation of se data, its mining and profiling by elements hostile to national security and defence of India, which ultimately impinges upon sovereignty and integrity of India, is a matter of very deep and immediate concern which requires emergency measures," release said.

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Earlier on June 29, government had banned 59 Chinese apps, including hugely popular TikTok and UC Browser, saying y were prejudicial to sovereignty, integrity and security of country. That ban, applicable on apps such as WeChat and Bigo Live, had come in backdrop of a stand-off along Line of Actual Control in Ladakh with Chinese troops. June ban was followed by blocking of 47 more Chinese apps that were clones and variants of ones banned earlier.

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(With ncy inputs)