WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump greeted on Friday a phone call with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping with enthusiasm, saying a sale of blockbuster app TikTok to an American buyer might be a “formality” and promising to go to China, which viewed their conversation more circumspectly.
Leaders of the world’s two largest economies each spoke by phone for the second time since Trump’s return to the White House, where he has attempted to suppress tensions despite having once had vociferous criticism of China.
The United States has aggressively sought to remove TikTok, the Chinese social networking site overwhelmingly popular among American youth that Trump has also used in order to rally support, from Chinese control.
Trump reported that Xi “approved” the agreement over the phone, but afterwards stated: “We have to get it signed… I guess it could be a formality.” China made no confirmation of any agreement.
“We’re going to have a very, very tight control,” Trump stated. “There’s tremendous value with TikTok, and I’m a little prejudiced because I frankly did so well on it.
He also added that Xi pledged to collaborate with the United States on bringing an end to the war in Ukraine, where China is being accused by Western countries of indirectly funding Russia’s invasion, although Beijing claims to be an impartial entity.
Trump made this comment previously in a Truth Social post that he and Xi “made progress on many very big issues” among which was TikTok.
He stated that he would meet Xi on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in South Korea from the end of next month and that he would go to China next year.
Trump added that Xi would visit the United States at some unspecified point and that the two presidents would talk further by phone.
Chinese warning on ‘market rules’
China gave a harsher interpretation of the talks.
On the TikTok matter, Xi said that China’s stance is clear: The Chinese government respects the will of businesses and invites them to hold business negotiations on a market-driven basis, reach solutions with balanced interests and in accordance with Chinese laws and regulations,” a statement released.
“China also hopes the US side will offer an open, fair, and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises to invest in the United States,” it continued.
It termed the invitation “in-depth and frank.”
The US Congress last year, under President Joe Biden, enacted legislation to compel TikTok’s parent ByteDance to divest its US business or risk the app being banned over national security worries.
Policymakers in the US, including Trump’s first term, have cautioned that Beijing might use TikTok to harvest data from Americans or influence what they view on social media.
Trump reports progress on TikTok, indicates will travel to China
But Trump, a prolific social media user, Tuesday again delayed a ban of the app.
In an early Saturday statement, ByteDance expressed thanks to Xi and Trump “for their concern about TikTok.”
“ByteDance will proceed with the relevant work according to Chinese law, which guarantees that TikTok US can continue to serve its massive American user base,” the company said.
Investors said to be in the frame to acquire the app include Oracle, the tech company controlled by Larry Ellison, one of the world’s wealthiest individuals.
Ellison supports Trump, so the implication is that TikTok may become the latest media or social media platform to fall under the control of the president.
