China Reiterates Position on TikTok Following Trump-Xi Conversation
Beijing - China’s Commerce Ministry reaffirmed its stance on the future of TikTok in the United States on Saturday, following a phone call between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi jinping on Friday. The Ministry stated it respects the wishes of TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, and supports commercial negotiations that comply wiht Chinese laws and regulations while balancing the interests of all parties.
The statement, echoing previous pronouncements over the past week, comes after a framework deal was reached in madrid earlier this week. Chinese officials and state media have described the agreement as a “win-win,” indicating a willingness to review TikTok’s technology exports and intellectual property licensing.
The Ministry further expressed hope that the US will create a more favorable business habitat for Chinese companies operating within its borders, including TikTok, ensuring it is open, fair, equitable, and non-discriminatory.
He Yadong, a spokesperson for the Commerce Ministry, reiterated this desire during a Thursday news conference, responding to questions about Beijing’s gains from the Madrid deal.He emphasized the need for the US to reduce trade barriers facing Chinese firms.
The framework deal represents a key step for President Trump in potentially averting a ban on TikTok. The US Congress had previously mandated that TikTok either sell its US assets to a non-Chinese owner or face being shut down for US users by January 2025.
The future ownership structure of TikTok, the extent of china’s continued control over the app’s operations, and the potential benefits for Beijing remain key questions surrounding the ongoing negotiations. Progress on TikTok is viewed as potentially unlocking concessions in other trade areas between the world’s two largest economies. TikTok currently has 170 million users in the United States.
