Tencent Holdings Ltd. tried to reassure investors that U.S. President Donald Trump’s ban on its WeChat messaging service may apply only to its overseas operations, suggesting the impact on the world’s largest gaming corporation should be modest.
The Chinese company’s shares gained as much as 2 percent in Hong Kong. During a conference call after earnings, executives repeatedly emphasized the distinction between WeChat, which is used outside China, and Weixin, a similar service within the country. Trump’s executive order specifically mentioned banning the former because of alleged risks to American national security.
"The executive order is focused on WeChat in the United States and not other businesses in the U.S.,” said Chief Financial Officer John Lo. "We are in the process of seeking further clarification from bipartisan parties in the U.S.”