Washington, DC [US], April 20 (HBTV): Apple has removed WhatsApp and Threads from its app store in China after the country's internet watchdog issued orders, citing national security concerns, CNN reported.  

An Apple spokesperson said that the Cyberspace Administration of China ordered the removal of these apps from China.  

"We are obligated to follow the laws in the countries where we operate, even when we disagree," an Apple spokesperson said while speaking to CNN. 

"The Cyberspace Administration of China ordered the removal of these apps from the China storefront based on their national security concerns. These apps remain available for download on all other storefronts where they appear," the spokesperson added. 

These two apps, owned by Meta, were already blocked in China and not widely used. People in China could access these apps only by making use of virtual private networks that can encrypt internet traffic and disguise the user's online identity.   

Duncan Clark, chairman of Beijing-based investment advisory BDA China, said that the removal of the apps by Apple demonstrates a "further distancing between already separated tech universes" in China and beyond, according to the CNN report. He noted that the removal of these apps will cause inconvenience to consumers and businesses in China.

"It will cause inconvenience to consumers and businesses (in China) who deal with family, friends, or customers overseas. Even if they use VPNs to access their existing WhatsApp apps, these over time will become obsolete and require updating," he said.    

Other popular Western social media applications, including Facebook, X, Instagram, and Messenger, were still available on Apple's China app store, CNN reported. 

(ANI) This is a syndicated news feed. HBTV has edited it for clarity.