German Chancellor Olaf Scholz joined TikTok on Monday, with his spokesperson saying the account would reach more people curious about politics on the platform.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz became the latest head of state to join TikTok on Monday.
A video uploaded to his account offers a glimpse of his office with glass windows. The camera then pans to show the chancellor sitting at his desk. Scholz also broke the news on X, formerly Twitter, writing: “I won’t dance. Promise,” in German.
The spokesperson for the chancellor, Steffen Hebestreit, said in a statement that the TikTok channel would seek to offer more information to citizens who are “increasingly using TikTok to find out about and discuss politics.”
The account will also offer a “look behind the scenes of everyday government life,” Hebestreit added.
US President Joe Biden joined the popular social media app in February.
TikTok under scrutiny
The hugely popular Chinese-owned social media app has come under growing scrutiny amid national security threats. The US House of Representatives voted to pass a bill last month that could see the app banned unless its China-based parent company, ByteDance, sells its stake.
US lawmakers contend that ByteDance is beholden to the Chinese government, which could demand access to the data of TikTok’s consumers in the US whenever it wants.
Several European countries like Estonia and Norway have banned the app on government devices. The European Parliament, European Commission, and the EU Council also prohibit staff from using the app on their official phones amid cybersecurity concerns.
Scholz to travel to China
Meanwhile, Scholz is also set for a three-day trip to China beginning this Saturday, April 13, Hebestreit told reporters on Monday.
Scholz will travel to several cities, including Shanghai and Beijing. He is due to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang in Beijing on April 16, according to Hebestreit.
Germany and China are key trade partners, but both leading economies have been struggling for several months.
The trip will mark Scholz’s second trip to China since he became chancellor.
Source: Dw
