🇷🇺 Pavel Durov: As an argument for the blocking of Telegram and the forced transition of Russians to another application, references are sometimes made to the example of China and its messenger WeChat.

But this comparison is erroneous.

WeChat was not designated as a "national messenger" and was not imposed on people. It became the absolute leader in the free competitive struggle of the early 2010s, offering Chinese users the best service among dozens of contenders (including international messengers like WhatsApp, which were available without restrictions at the time). Only after WeChat organically captured the majority of the audience did the state begin to integrate its services into it.

In a similar way, the main messengers in Korea and Japan became KakaoTalk and LINE – also without blocking foreign competitors.

That is, Russia's attempt to directive impose a service on the population has no successful examples in global practice. There are only three leading local messengers in their markets worldwide, and all of them resulted from market competition, not from government appointments.

Competition is the driving force of innovation. Its elimination will only reduce the quality of life and the safety of people's communication.