PM Modi quits Chinese platform Weibo after India's app ban
What's the story
Prime Minister Narendra Modi appears to have quit Chinese microblogging platform Weibo. His account on the platform has gone completely blank, a change that comes just a couple of days after the Government of India announced the decision to ban a batch of 59 Chinese applications, including Weibo, over data privacy and national security concerns. Here's more about it.
Account
Posts deleted from PM's Weibo account
PM Modi joined Weibo a few years ago and had 115 odd posts on the platform, including some with Chinese President Xi Jinping. But now, all of those posts, combined with other profile information, have been removed from the service, TheTimes of India reported. The account still remains verified and active, mentioning the PM's name, but there is no content to view/share.
Request
Official deactivation request also placed
According to the TOI report, an official request to get PM Modi's account deactivated and removed has already been initiated but is yet to be processed from the other side. Unlike regular accounts, VIP accounts on Weibo are deactivated through a more complex process. But, as of now, it is not exactly clear why the request has not been approved yet.
Followers
PM Modi's account still has 224k followers
Even after posts' removal, Modi's Weibo account continues to have some 224,000 followers. The account was set up in 2015 ahead of his first visit to China as the PM. Since then, he had been using the account, although not as frequently as Twitter, to share messages about Indo-China ties, particularly after meetings with the Chinese President.
Action
This comes after the broad app ban, Galwan Valley clash
PM Modi's departure from Weibo follows the Indian government's decision to ban 59 Chinese apps, including Weibo and WeChat, over security concerns. The action came over a week after soldiers from India and China locked horns in a gruesome clash along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), resulting in the martyrdom of 20 Indian soldiers. The border tensions still remain between the two sides.