China denies asking firms to collect data illegally after new EU probe

Beijing denied on Friday asking its firms to "illegally" collect and store users' personal information, after an Irish regulator helping the European Union regulate data privacy began investigating Chinese social media giant TikTok.

"The Chinese government attaches great importance to and protects data privacy and security in accordance with the law," foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said, adding Beijing "has never and will never require companies or individuals to illegally collect or store data".