Tencent Holdings, one of the Chinese giants, is negotiating agreements with the United States national security panel as it eyes permission to keep its ownership stakes in the US-based gaming companies like Riot Games and Epic Games, reports Reuters citing people familiar with the matter.
The report adds that Tencent has been in talks with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) since last year. The committee has the authority to order the Chinese technology giant to divest its holdings in the U.S.
On the other hand, the report adds that CFIUS has been looking into whether Epic Games‘ and Riot Games’ handling of the personal data of their users constitutes a national security risk because of their Chinese ownership.
For those who are unaware, Tencent holds around 40 percent stake in Epic Games which is a maker of the popular game Fortnite. The Chinese giant had bought a majority stake in Riot Games in 2011 and acquired the remaining stake in 2015. Riot Games is the developer of League of Legends.
A Riot Games spokesman said to Reuters that the company operates independently of Tencent and that it has implemented “industry-leading practices” to protect player data.
Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) has been cracking down on Chinese ownership of U.S. technology assets in the last few years amid an escalation in tensions between both the countries over trade, human rights, and the protection of intellectual property. The United States is concerned about the data of its citizens could end up in the hands of China’s Communist Party government.
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