India told app bans are against WTO rules

CHINA’S commerce ministry said yesterday that it hopes India would correct its discriminatory actions against Chinese companies immediately, after India banned dozens of Chinese mobile apps amid a border row between the two countries.

China has not adopted any restrictive or discriminatory measures against Indian products and services, Ministry of Commerce spokesman Gao Feng told reporters.

New Delhi’s moves were in violation of World Trade Organization rules and India’s commitment to the global trade’s rules-making body, he said.

Indian protesters have been calling for a boycott of Chinese goods since the June 15 confrontation along the border. On Monday, India said it had banned 59 Chinese-owned apps, including TikTok, Weibo and WeChat.

In the latest move, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has deleted his account on Chinese social media platform Weibo, an Indian government source and the company said.

Since posting on Sina Weibo the first time in 2015 during a visit to China, Modi has been an infrequent user of the Chinese social media platform. He had more than 200,000 followers and 100 posts before the account was shut.

Sina Weibo announced the closure of the account late on Wednesday. An Indian government source said yesterday that it took time to get Modi’s account taken down.

“For VIP accounts, Weibo has a more complex procedure to quit which is why the official process was initiated,” the source said.

Modi was among a handful of foreign leaders with a Weibo account.

(Agencies)