US Department of Commerce to challenge judge's order blocking WeChat app store ban

The U.S. Department of Commerce said on Monday (Sept. 21) that it would challenge an order issued Sunday by a U.S. judge that blocked the department's order requiring Apple and Google to remove WeChat from their U.S. app stores.

On Sept. 18, the U.S. Commerce Department, in a malicious attempt to suppress Chinese companies, issued an order citing national security grounds to block the app from U.S. app stores owned by Tencent Holdings. 

China's Ministry of Commerce said it is resolutely opposed to the US move to block downloads of WeChat and TikTok apps. In the absence of any evidence, the US has repeatedly used state power to suppress the two enterprises for unwarranted reasons, which seriously disrupted their normal business activities, undermined the confidence of international investors in the US investment environment and damaged the normal global economic and trade order, the ministry said in an online statement.