Today, the Trump administration finally administered a coup de grâce against TikTok and WeChat. The government has effectively blocked the popular platforms from app stores nationwide. Now, they are setting their sights on another target. Trump is now targeting Tencent Games.

According to Bloomberg, the Trump administration has officially asked League of Legends’s Riot Studios and Fortnite’s Epic Games for their ties to Tencent Games. Notably, the Chinese Tencent Games owns Riot Games, plus a minority stake in Epic Games.

The Committee on Foreign Investment inquired “about their security protocols in handling Americans’ personal data.” Both League of Legends and Fortnite are still two of the most popular multiplayer games today. Naturally, millions of Americans play these games every day.

Of course, it’s no surprise that the American government is now pursuing Tencent Games for their alleged Chinese ties. WeChat’s ban, in fact, stems from its ties to Tencent. At the time of WeChat’s first involvement in the ongoing ban, pundits also speculated on the eventual attack against Tencent’s other properties. Now, it’s materializing.

At this point, no one knows if Trump’s latest attack will go anywhere. The administration is likely still handling the successful attack against TikTok and WeChat.

SEE ALSO: Oracle wins bid for TikTok’s US operations

XTREME — a Philippine home appliance brand — is going big this year. For 2020, the brand is expanding its portfolio of appliances. To mark the expansion, the brand also aims to open 20 more stores nationwide before the year ends.

Aggressive expansion plans

With the COVID-19 pandemic in full swing, most businesses are slowing down with their plans to expand. However, that is not the case for XTREME. The brand has been aggressively marketing its appliances through a series of promos on Lazada and Shopee.

Now, the brand is planning to expand even further by opening new stores nationwide. By the end of 2020, 20 concept stores will serve more buyers looking for affordable appliances. That is a huge jump from today’s five stores nationwide. However, it doesn’t stop there. The brand is actually targeting to open 50 to 60 stores by the end of Q1 2021.

With store expansion comes brand-new products from the brand. These new products will solidify the brand’s lineup of affordable home appliances. These include Android TVs, tower fans, baking ovens, rangehood, dishwashers, air fryers, pressure cookers, and air coolers. Some of XTREME’s product lineup has also received meaningful updates.

Appliances for everyone

XTREME really has a wide range of appliances for every Filipino buyer. The brand has managed to build on their products by selling them at affordable prices. Their product portfolio ranges from LED TVs to speakers, air conditioners, refrigerators, gas ranges, microwave ovens, multi-cookers, and electric fans.

All these appliances are available on all XTREME concept stores nationwide. For those who prefer to shop online, the brand has a Lazada and Shopee store as well. All product information is easily accessible from their website, so buyers have a clear idea of what they’re buying.

Chinese gaming, payment, and communication giant Tencent has announced it will pen a new office in Singapore. It will serve as the company’s regional hub for Southeast Asia. Rivals like Alibaba and ByteDance have also selected Singapore as their regional hub.

Tencent already has offices in Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia. With a centrally located Singapore office, the company can seamlessly manage all ASEAN operations.

The announcement also proves Tencent’s long-term ambitions and thirst for growth. It has made a massive investment in developing markets and despite the ongoing political instability between the US and China, it’s bullish about its future prospects.

Games like Arena of Valor, PUBG Mobile, Call of Duty: Mobile, CrossFire, and more rule the gaming market of Asia. All these titles are directly or indirectly managed or distributed by Tencent via a complex web of companies and subsidiaries.

“The Singapore office will also enable us to capture potential from the rapid pace of digitization and meet the demand for internet-based services and solutions in Singapore,” the company said in a statement.

Chinese companies are also facing hostility in the US and have shifted their focus in the recent future. The high-stakes sale of TikTok’s US operations and the ban on Huawei has severely hit Chinese investors and they’re reluctant of a commitment right now.

TikTok’s parent ByteDance is also planning to make Singapore its hub for the Asian region. According to a report, the company could spend billions and add hundreds of jobs over the next three years. The company has also applied for a digital banking license.