UK's Truss attacks TikTok, the Chinese social media giant that plans to employ 3,000 in Ireland     

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian criticised Ms Truss’ comments, saying that British politicians that making irresponsible remarks, including hyping-up the so-called 'China threat'.

Liz Truss during the latest head-to-head debate for the British Conservative Party leadership. Picture: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire

Liz Truss, one of two contenders in the race to lead the British Conservative Party and become the next UK prime minister, said she would crack down on Chinese firms such as TikTok — the social media giant that has been hailed as central to Ireland's economic success.                   

Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, along with the IDA chief Martin Shanahan had, in June, hailed the growth plans of TikTok to employ as many as 3,000 people in Ireland.  

Mr Varadkar had described TikTok's Irish plans as "truly incredible" and pledged the Government would continue "to work hard to make companies like TikTok feel welcome here". 

However, TikTok and other Chinese tech firms have become embroiled in the Tory party leadership contest in Britain. Ms Truss, the British foreign minister, traded verbal blows on a live BBC television debate with Rishi Sunak in the race to succeed Boris Johnson as UK prime minister.

“We absolutely should be cracking down on those types of companies,” said Ms Truss, when asked specifically about TikTok. 

We should be limiting the amount of technology exports we do to authoritarian regimes.”

Mr Sunak, who previously served as chancellor, had earlier described China as the “biggest long-term threat to Britain and the world’s economic and national security”, and promised to limit its influence in Britain. 

In Ireland, the Department of Enterprise, of which Mr Varadkar is minister, and the IDA did not comment when asked by the Irish Examiner to discuss Ms Truss' remarks. 

Mr Varadkar had unveiled plans in June to publish a bill that would protect Ireland's critical technology and infrastructure from potentially hostile investments. The bill will be designed to allow the Government to assess or screen investments in Ireland from outside the EU for the first time. Some observers have questioned the scope of the legislation.  

A spokesperson for the Department of Enterprise, Trade, and Employment said in a statement that "it would not be appropriate to comment on any individual case" in relation to the planned screening bill.  

"Nevertheless, only transactions involving sensitive technologies or critical infrastructure such as our health services, our electricity grid, military infrastructure, ports, and airports would be screened," the spokesperson told the Irish Examiner. 

Taoiseach Micheál Martin and TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew as the Government and IDA welcomed news in June that TikTok is to create a further 1,000 jobs.

In June, the Taoiseach and IDA chief executive Martin Shanahan met with TikTok chief executive Shouzi Chew at the unveiling of TikTok’s rapid plans to expand its employment here to 3,000 people from 2,000 people.  

“Tik Tok’s latest expansion further embeds Ireland as an important hub for its European and global operations, and is clear evidence of its commitment to this country," Mr Martin said at the time. 

Today, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian criticised Ms Truss’ remarks, saying that China firmly opposes both Mr Sunak and Ms Truss’s comments.

 “I want to make it clear to certain British politicians that making irresponsible remarks about China, including hyping-up the so-called 'China threat', cannot solve one’s own problems,” he said. 

Additional reporting Bloomberg