Apple has confirmed that it has removed Meta-owned applications WhatsApp and Threads from its App Store in China after being ordered to do so by the country’s top internet regulator.

The tech giant told Reuters in a statement on April 19 that the Cyberspace Administration of China ordered the removal of the apps due to “national security” reasons.

Apple did not provide further details about when the apps were removed or what the national security concerns were related to.

“The Cyberspace Administration of China ordered the removal of these apps from the China storefront based on their national security concerns,” Apple said. “We are obligated to follow the laws in the countries where we operate, even when we disagree.”

China is a crucial market for Apple.

WhatsApp and Threads are not widely used in China, according to Reuters, and Tencent’s WeChat is by far the dominant service.

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