At a recent U.S. Congressional hearing on children's cybersecurity, TikTok CEO Zhou Shouzi became the focus of attention of congressmen, especially when he was repeatedly questioned about his nationality, which sparked widespread attention and public discussion.
At the hearing, Chow was repeatedly asked by Republican Senator Tom Cotton whether he was a Chinese citizen and other questions related to nationality, to which Chow firmly replied that he was a Singaporean and denied all questions about his ties to China. Although Zhou Shouzi clearly indicated his nationality, Congressman Cotton's repeated questions did not stop, which aroused widespread attention and discussion outside the venue.
This cross-examination of personal identity, criticized by many Americans** and netizens as a "McCarthy-style question", not only has nothing to do with the topic of the conference, but also shows the unfair treatment of foreign citizens, triggering a discussion of racist and xenophobic attitudes. Councillor Cotton's behavior caused a strong reaction on social **, and even put his name on the top of the hot search list, and many people expressed anger and dissatisfaction with it.
Despite the challenging questions, Mr. Zhou did his best to articulate TikTok's data security plan in an attempt to allay concerns that TikTok and its Chinese-backed companies could pose a threat to the security of U.S. users' data. However, the nationality cross-examination storm at the hearing once again reflected the tense relationship between China and the United States in the technology sector, as well as the deep suspicion of Chinese technology companies in American political circles.
This incident is not only a debate about individual nationality, but also a contest of international politics, cultural conflicts and technological sovereignty in the context of globalization, reflecting the complexity and variability of current international relations.
February** Dynamic Incentive Program