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Frankfurt mayor invites TikTok to set up headquarters: German media

August 15, 2020

FRANKFURT, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) - The mayor of Frankfurt Peter Feldmann has recently invited popular Chinese video-sharing app TikTok to set up its new global headquarters in the German metropolis, several German media outlets reported.

Feldmann's letter of invitation to ByteDance, a Chinese tech firm and owner of TikTok, was first reported by Journal Frankfurt on Wednesday, and later also by Frankfurt Allgemeine Zeitung and Der Spiegel.

Frankfurt boasts one of the world's busiest internet hubs and a large number of data centers, as well as many well-trained professionals in the region, Feldmann was quoted as saying in the letter, who also noted the city's central location in Europe and excellent connections with China through partner city Guangzhou.

[caption id="attachment_51251" align="alignnone" width="720"] People take part in a TikTok filming session in Vilnius, Lithuania, Aug. 10, 2020. (Photo by Alfredas Pliadis/Xinhua)[/caption]

Frankfurt is an ideal location for IT companies and especially for TikTok's international headquarters, Feldmann was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, ByteDance has taken note of the invitation and told Journal Frankfurt that the company is very pleased about Frankfurt's interest.

ByteDance is considering setting up TikTok's headquarters outside the United States to better serve customers worldwide, but is not yet possible to comment in detail about the potential location, according to a ByteDance spokesperson who was quoted by Journal Frankfurt.

ByteDance currently has a branch in the German capital Berlin.   ■