Trump-Xi Talks TikTok Deal Ukraine and Upcoming Meetings
Trump and Xi Talk TikTok, Ukraine, and Future Meetings
The leaders of the world’s two largest economies spoke by phone for the second time since Donald Trump returned to the White House, in an effort to keep tensions with China in check despite his past sharp criticism of the country.
During the call, the U.S. pressed China on TikTok, the popular social media app, which Trump has also used to rally support. Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping “approved” a deal regarding TikTok, but later added, “We have to get it signed… I guess it could be a formality.” China has not confirmed any agreement.
“We’re going to have very, very tight control,” Trump said, adding that TikTok “has tremendous value” and that he feels “a little prejudiced” because he “did so well on it.”
Trump also said Xi pledged to work with the U.S. on efforts to end the war in Ukraine, where Western nations accuse China of indirectly supporting Russia, despite Beijing’s insistence that it remains neutral.
Earlier on Truth Social, Trump said he and Xi had “made progress on many very important issues,” including TikTok. He announced plans to meet Xi at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea next month and said he expects to travel to China next year. Xi, Trump added, will also visit the U.S. at an unspecified date, and the two leaders will continue their phone discussions.
China Pushes for ‘Market Rules’
China issued a more cautious response. Its statement said Xi emphasized that “China’s position is clear: the Chinese government respects the will of enterprises and welcomes them to conduct business negotiations based on market rules, to reach solutions that balance interests and comply with Chinese laws and regulations.”
The statement called for the U.S. to provide “an open, fair, and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies investing in the United States” and described the call as “frank and in-depth.”
TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, has faced pressure in the U.S. for years. Last year, Congress passed a law requiring the company to sell its American operations or face a ban over national security concerns. Policymakers have warned that the app could be used by China to collect data or influence American users.
But Trump, a longtime social media enthusiast, stopped short of banning TikTok again. ByteDance, in a statement Saturday, thanked both leaders for their “concern about TikTok” and said it would continue to operate under Chinese law, ensuring the app “continues to serve its vast American user base.”
Reports suggest potential buyers for TikTok’s U.S. operations include Oracle, owned by Larry Ellison, a Trump supporter, which could bring the app closer to the former president’s sphere of influence.
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