[zzz61831]

If economic protectionism is the concern here, the US could forbid Chinese companies from doing business in the US, but not censor their platforms, apps, websites in the US just because it has no influence over those platforms to do censorship, propaganda and spying on.

But of course they are not really concerned about Chinese protectionism, they do it too just as much, only a bit differently. Control over mass communications platforms popular in the country is what it's all about, just as it is for China, Russia and other openly authoritarian countries, because this is what they deem important to protect power.