China sticks to its stance on TikTok's future in the US after phone call with Trump

China reiterated its position on the future of the TikTok app in the US on Saturday, one day after President Donald Trump announced progress on an agreement to transfer the platform to US control.

“China's stance on TikTok is clear: the government respects the company's wishes and welcomes trade negotiations in line with market rules and Chinese law that balance the interests of all parties,” the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said in a statement.

However, questions remain – particularly about the ownership structure, the extent of Chinese control over the app's operations, and what advantage Beijing gains from granting the US access to one of China's most successful companies.

TikTok has around 170 million users in the US, and its fate is seen as key to broader trade agreements – from aircraft to soybeans – as the world's two largest economies seek to resolve their tariff disputes.

The ministry added that it expects the US to fulfill its commitments and create an open, fair, and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese companies, including TikTok.

The framework agreement reached in Madrid this week was described as a “win-win” in Chinese media.
The US Congress had originally decided that the app would be blocked for US users from January 2025 if ByteDance did not sell its US assets.

(reuters, red)