BEIJING, Aug. 27 -- China on Thursday condemned some U.S. politicians for "hunting down" non-U.S. companies, saying the essence of such practice is labeling these firms with ideological prejudice.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks at a press briefing while responding to a question about a survey released by the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai (AmCham Shanghai) Wednesday.
AmCham Shanghai said that about 90 percent of the respondents to a survey it conducted of U.S. firms in Shanghai recently believed that the U.S. planned ban on WeChat will have a negative influence on their operations and more than one-third thought that such ban might lead to a loss of global revenue.
Some U.S. politicians have put their selfish interests above market principles and international rules to jeopardize the global internet, said Zhao, adding that such an attempt has already been seen through by the international community.
"Some U.S. politicians have abused state power to unjustifiably suppress non-U.S. companies under the pretext of national security. Such bandit action has done harm to the rights and interests of consumers and businesses in the United States and other countries, and it is bound to be opposed and resisted by the international community," said Zhao, who stressed that the move is organized and systematic economic bullying of non-U.S. companies that take the lead in a certain field.
"This is a repudiation of the principle of market economy and fair competition that the U.S. has always flaunted," said Zhao. "Such move tramples on international rules and undermines the exchanges and cooperation in science, technology and innovation among countries riding the tide of globalization."
Zhao said that from the perspective of some U.S. politicians, the so-called liberalization of the internet is nothing but Americanization, and so-called national security is simply a byword for "American double standards."