Comment by gpm

They do just buy it. The opinion mentions that. It turns out they want even more data and also do things like hacking to steal it.

> The PRC’s methods for collecting data include using “its relationships with Chinese companies,” making “strategic investments in foreign companies,” and “purchasing large data sets.” For example [...]

In fact it treats the Chinese investment into TikTok as basically a form of "just buying it" with regards to the information gathering justification for banning it.