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BEIJING,March24(Xinhua)--TheU.S.sideshouldrespectthemarketeconomyandtheprinciplesoffaircompetitionandstopunjustifiablysuppressingforeigncompanies,aChineseForeignMinistryspokespersonsaidFriday.

SpokespersonMaoNingmadetheremarksatadailypressbriefingafterTikTok"sCEO"sappearanceataU.S.congressionalhearingonThursday.

"WehavealsonotedthecommentsmadebyTikTok,"Maosaidinresponsetoarelevantquery,notingthattheChinesegovernmentattachesgreatimportancetoprotectingdataprivacyandsecurityunderthelaw.

TheChinesegovernmenthasneverandwillneveraskcompaniesorindividualstocollectorprovidedata,information,andintelligencelocatedinforeigncountriesinamannerthatviolateslocallaws,shesaid.

"TheU.S.governmenthasyettoprovideanyevidencethatTikTokposesathreattoitsnationalsecurity,buthasrepeatedlyconductedpresumptionofguiltandunreasonablysuppressedrelevantcompanies,"Maosaid,pointingoutthatsomemembersoftheU.S.CongresshavesuggestedthatseekingtobanTikTokispoliticalpersecution.

TheU.S.sideshouldearnestlyrespectthemarketeconomyandtheprinciplesoffaircompetition,stopunjustifiablysuppressingforeigncompanies,andprovideanopen,just,andnon-discriminatoryenvironmentforforeigncompaniestoinvestandoperateintheUnitedStates,thespokespersonnoted.■