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The US practice of abusing ‘national security’ as a pretext to crack down on non-American companies is a blatant hegemonic act, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Friday.

The comment was made in response to US President Donald Trump signing an executive order banning any US transactions with the Chinese companies that own TikTok and Wechat within 45 days.

“China resolutely opposes the US practice of abusing ‘national security’ as a pretext to crack down on non-American companies. This is nothing but sheer hegemony,” Wang Wenbin, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said at a media briefing on Thursday.

Wang said, “These companies have conducted business activities in line with international rules and market principles, abiding by US law and regulations.”

China has noticed that many US citizens and the international community have criticized and questioned the US action, he added.

“Just like an old Chinese saying goes, ‘a just cause gains wide support, and an unjust one enjoys none.’ The US puts its self-interests above market principles and international rules, not afraid of harming the rights and interests of its own users and companies.”

He said, “The country will suffer the most from moral decay, tarnished national image, and a growing deficit of international trust, and eventually shoot itself in the foot if it continues to suppress foreign enterprises’ legitimate development rights for its own benefit.”

“We urge the US government to earnestly heed these rational calls from its own country and around the world, and correct its wrongdoing.”

“Rather than politicizing trade issues, or unreasonably bashing foreign companies, the US should commit itself to creating a fair, open and non-discriminatory environment for normal operations and investment from different countries,” Wang added.

(Compiled by Liu Tianzi)