SAN FRANCISCO – Apple said it pulled the Meta-owned apps WhatsApp and Threads from its app store in China on April 19 on government orders, potentially escalating the war over technology between the United States and China.

The iPhone maker said that China’s internet regulator, the Cyberspace Administration, ordered the removal of WhatsApp and Threads from its app store because of national security concerns. Apple said that it complied because “we are obligated to follow the laws in the countries where we operate, even when we disagree”.