'We win, they lose': Ron DeSantis takes on China as he addresses TikTok ban during third GOP debate
MIAMI, FLORIDA: The third Republican presidential debate saw a focus on conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, as well as calls to ban the TikTok video-sharing app.
Interestingly, Ron DeSantis opted for a more substantive discussion, emphasizing that the US rivalry with China is not just military and economic, but also cultural.
Other GOP candidates Chris Christie, Nikki Haley, Tim Scott, and Vivek Ramaswamy spoke in favor of banning TikTok.
Christie stated the Chinese-owned video-based social network, TikTok, “is not only spyware, it’s polluting the minds of American young people.”
Meanwhile, DeSantis emphasized the need to counter China not only through military and economic measures but also by addressing its impact on American culture.
While the federal government has already banned the app on government devices, extending the prohibition to all Americans might face resistance, especially from the platform's avid young users.
Ron DeSantis says ‘we win, they lose’ on TikTok ban
When the GOP candidates were asked whether they supported the ban of TikTok, each one of them vowed to ban the social networking app citing not only national security concerns about data collection but also anti-Semitic content.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis responded saying, “China is the top threat we face. It have been every effective at infiltrating different parts of our society. So, my policy on China and the Chinese Communist Party is very simple, ‘We win, they lose’.”
He continued, “In order to do that, it’s not just military, it’s economic and it's cultural and it’s the data of a six-year-old. I’m concerned about the data that they are getting from our young people and what they’re doing to pollute the minds of our young people.”
“These kids get these devices and they have mind of their own. A lot of parents are looking, it’s hard to even keep it out. China is obviously the most extreme, but this is happening with other things,” DeSantis added.
He concluded, “So, we’re gonna do that and we’re gonna make sure to protect the American people. It’s a full-spectrum approach to be able to fend China off. Yes, military deterrence, yes economic decoupling, but also their role in our culture. If we ignore that, we’re not gonna be able to win the fight.”
WATCH: Gov. Ron DeSantis responds to TikTok being heavily influenced by the Chinese Communist Party
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) November 9, 2023
"Yes, military deterrence. Yes, economic decoupling. But also, their role in their culture. If we ignore that, we're not gonna be able to win the fight." pic.twitter.com/yLpx2zDum4
Chris Christie says TikTok is ‘polluting American minds’
While addressing the TikTok issue, Chris Christie said he would ban or force the sale of TikTok stating that “it is not only spyware, it is polluting the minds of American young people all throughout this country.”
He continued, “And they are doing it intentionally. When you saw what happened in the last few weeks with all of this antisemitic, horrible stuff, that they are algorithms for pushing out at a gargantuan rate. This is China trying to further divide the United States of America.”