Beijing ByteDance, which belongs to the short video platform Douyin in mainland China, is suspected of setting up a branch in Taiwan and conducting business illegally. TikTok (International version of Douyin) responded that the recent media reports that TikTok has set up a branch in Taiwan are false news, "TikTok has not set up a branch in Taiwan."
TikTok responded to Taiwan media Central News Agency in writing on Monday (December 19), saying that Bytedance Taiwan Co., Ltd. mentioned in media reports has nothing to do with TikTok.
The Central News Agency went to the company to register the address on Monday and found that the company was located in a community building. The administrator did not know whether the address was the location of the ByteDance Taiwan company, and pointed out that the entire building was almost residential, with few commercial offices.
"Shengyang International Biotechnology Co., Ltd.", established in 2018, was approved to change and register as ByteDance Taiwan Co., Ltd. in November this year.
According to the Taiwan government's "Regulations on Relations Between People across the Taiwan Strait", mainland online social platforms are not allowed to operate related businesses in Taiwan. If this branch is indeed related to Douyin and its parent company ByteDance, and it has not applied for permission, it may be involved in violations.
"Liberty Times" quoted a Taiwanese official who knew the matter as saying that without Beijing's permission, the above-mentioned company would not use the name "ByteDance" to set up a branch in Taiwan, and said that whether the matter involved mainland capital illegally operating in Taiwan would be the focus of investigation .
Douyin and other mainland short video platforms have become a tool for mainland China to infiltrate other countries in recent years, and there is a high risk of collecting user personal data for the mainland government.
