Chinese mouthpiece stooge hurls low jibe at India over 59-app-ban; gets trolled by netizen

The Centre on Monday banned 59 apps with Chinese links, including hugely popular TikTok and UC Browser, saying they were prejudicial to sovereignty, integrity and security of the country. Hours after the Indian government's decision, the Chinese responded bitterly and tried to mock the decision.

'They can't really find many Indian goods'

Hu Xijin, editor of the Chinese Communist Party's mouthpiece Global Times, who has emerged as somewhat of the country's unofficial spokesperson at a time when the line between its state-owned media and official state communication has blurred, took to Twitter and said, "Well, even if Chinese people want to boycott Indian products, they can't really find many Indian goods." He told his "Indian friends," that they need to have some things that are "more important than nationalism"

The Chinese stooge was the first one to admit that China also suffered casualties during the June 15 Galwan Valley clash. However, China never officially revealed any numbers. Taking to Twitter, he had said, "Based on what I know, the Chinese side also suffered casualties in the Galwan Valley physical clash. I want to tell the Indian side, don’t be arrogant and misread China’s restraint as being weak. China doesn’t want to have a clash with India, but we don’t fear it."

And here is a more recent tweet by the Global Times Editor, which sounds like a dispatch from its government:

However, netizens have given it back to the stooge over his remark

'A matter of very deep and immediate concern' 

The ban on the Chinese apps comes in the backdrop of current stand-off along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh with Chinese troops. 

The list of apps that have been banned also includes WeChat, Helo, Likee, CamScanner, Vigo Video, Mi Video Call  Xiaomi, Clash of Kings as well as e-commerce platforms Club Factory and Shein.

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The Information Technology Ministry in a statement said it has received many complaints from various sources, including several reports about the misuse of some mobile apps available on Android and iOS platforms for "stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users' data in an unauthorised manner to servers which have locations outside India".

READ | Govt of India bans 59 Chinese apps; Tik Tok, UC Browser, WeChat included in the list

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

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A formal order asking phone companies to block the applications is being issued. The move will "safeguard the interests of crores of Indian mobile and internet users. This decision is a targeted move to ensure safety and sovereignty of Indian cyberspace", the IT ministry added.

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(with PTI inputs)