China on Thursday called on the United States to stop the unreasonable suppression of companies from other countries, following a U.S. bill targeting the short-video app TikTok.

The U.S. side should earnestly respect the market economy and the principle of fair competition, and provide an open, fair, just and non-discriminatory environment for enterprises from all countries, said He Yadong, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce.

Relevant parties should strictly abide by Chinese laws and regulations, and China will take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard its legitimate rights and interests, He told a press briefing.

Earlier this week, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill that would require TikTok to divest from its parent company, Chinese tech giant ByteDance, or face a nationwide ban in the United States.