TRUMP BANS DEALINGS WITH CHINESE OWNERS OF TIKTOK, WECHAT

President Donald Trump has ordered a sweeping but vague ban on dealings with the Chinese owners of popular social media apps TikTok and WeChat on security grounds, a move China’s government criticized as “political manipulation.”

The twin executive orders on Thursday _ one for each app _ add to growing US-Chinese conflict over technology and security. They take effect in 45 days and could bar the apps from the Apple and Google app stores, effectively removing them from US distribution.

China’s foreign ministry said it opposed the move but gave no indication whether Beijing might retaliate.

Earlier, Trump threatened a deadline of September 15 to “close down’’ TikTok in the United States unless Microsoft Corp. or another company acquires it. TikTok, owned by Beijingheadquartered ByteDance Ltd., is popular for its short, catchy videos. The company says it has 100 million users in the United States and hundreds of millions worldwide. The Trump administration has expressed concern Chinese social media services could provide American users’ personal information to Chinese authorities, though it has given no evidence TikTok did that. Instead, officials point to the Communist Party’s ability to compel cooperation from Chinese companies. U.S. regulators cited similar security concerns last year when the Chinese owner of Grindr was ordered to sell the dating app. In a statement, TikTok expressed shock at the order and complained it violates US law. The company said it doesn’t store American user data in China and never has given it to Beijing or censored content at the government’s request.

TikTok said it spent nearly a year trying to reach a “constructive solution’’ but the Trump administration “paid no attention to facts” and tried improperly to insert itself into business negotiations. TikTok said it would “pursue all remedies’’ available to ensure the company and its users are “are treated fairly.’’

Tencent and Microsoft declined to comment.

Yesterday, shares of WeChat’s owner, Tencent Holding Ltd., declined 5 percent in trading in Hong Kong.