US restricts visas on Chinese officials over Tibet

New York : The United States said Tuesday it was restricting visas to Chinese officials in response to impediments on Americans’ travel to Tibet.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he was taking the action against an unspecified number of officials under a new US law that presses China to let US diplomats, journalists and tourists visit the Himalayan region.

Earlier, he announced that the US administration is working on a move to ban Chinese applications in the US.

"I don't want to get out in front of the President ( Donald Trump), but it's something we're looking at," Pompeo said in an interview with Fox News.

Like India, the US lawmakers have also posted security concerns associated with the operation of these applications, saying they were worried about Chinese laws requiring domestic companies "to support and cooperate with intelligence work controlled by the Chinese Communist Party."

Pompeo's remarks also come amid increasing U.S.-China tensions over the handling of the coronavirus outbreak, China's actions in Hong Kong and a nearly two-year trade war.

India had recently banned TikTok and 58 other Chinese applications after a border clash between India and China.

Earlier on the day, a report claimed that TikTok is planning to exit from Hong Kong market after China implemented new national security law.