US and China Resume Talks with Focus on TikTok Future
MADRID – The united States and China have resumed economic negotiations in madrid, with the fate of the popular video platform TikTok as a key issue. US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Deputy US Trade Representative Sarah Bessent met with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and trade officer Li Chengang to discuss the economic relationship between the two countries. While a thorough agreement remains pending, Bessent indicated further negotiations are planned in the coming weeks.
The discussions center on TikTok’s ownership and potential security concerns. Beijing has previously resisted a forced sale of the platform, especially due to its proprietary algorithm - considered a key technology subject to Chinese export restrictions. However, ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, is reportedly developing a separate app for US users with independent proposal software.
Concerns persist in the US and other nations regarding potential espionage due to TikTok’s ties to the Chinese government,allegations both ByteDance and Chinese authorities have repeatedly denied.
Last year, the US Congress passed legislation requiring TikTok to be sold or face a ban. Former President Trump initially called for a ban during his first term but extended the deadline for a sale multiple times. TikTok has become a meaningful platform in the 2024 US election cycle, with the White House itself maintaining an official channel.
Potential US buyers previously discussed include Microsoft and oracle.More recently,the US government has reportedly favored a takeover by US financial investors like KKR,Susquehanna,or General Atlantic,some of which already have investments in ByteDance.
The negotiations occurred alongside a separate announcement from China’s State Governance for Market Regulation (SAMR), which initiated an examination into US chipmaker Nvidia, alleging potential antitrust violations. Industry experts suggest this action may be a response to US restrictions on high-tech exports to China, as the US aims to curb China’s technological advancement. NVIDIA is the world’s leading supplier of high-performance processors for artificial intelligence. Raimondo criticized the timing of the Nvidia announcement.
