Apple Inc. said on Friday in a statement cited by The Wall Street Journal that the Chinese cyberspace administration ordered it to remove WhatsApp and Threads from its app store in the country.

“We are obligated to follow the laws in the countries where we operate, even when we disagree,” Apple said, adding that the Chinese government cited national security concerns as a reason for the request.

The tech giant’s staff already met with Chinese authorities to discuss the issue, as it worried how this would affect its customers. The Chinese side insisted that Apple must adhere to Beijing’s rules.