Story:
U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday described his latest phone conversation with Chinese leader Xi Jinping as “very productive,” citing progress on several contentious issues including trade, the war in Ukraine, fentanyl, and the future of TikTok.
Trump said negotiations over the sale of TikTok’s U.S. operations were advancing, though no final agreement was announced. The popular social media app, owned by China’s ByteDance, has been under U.S. pressure to sell amid fears it could be used for surveillance or influence.
“We made progress on many very important issues, including trade, fentanyl, the need to bring the Russia–Ukraine war to an end, and the approval of the TikTok deal,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, noting that U.S. investors would likely take ownership.
Trump confirmed plans to meet Xi next month on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea and said he would travel to China next year. Xi, in turn, is expected to visit the U.S. at a later date.
But Beijing struck a more cautious tone, stressing that any TikTok negotiations must respect “market rules” and comply with Chinese law. “China hopes the U.S. side will provide an open, fair, and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies,” state broadcaster CCTV reported.
The call comes as Washington and Beijing navigate a fragile tariff truce set to expire in November. Both sides had imposed sweeping levies earlier this year, rattling global supply chains, before agreeing to scale back duties.
Trump, who previously railed against China during his campaigns, now emphasizes his personal rapport with Xi even as tensions remain high. Talks over TikTok’s U.S. ownership could see a consortium involving Oracle and investment firms Silver Lake and Andreessen Horowitz take control — a deal that would bring the app closer to Trump’s allies.
Despite the uncertainty, Trump said further calls with Xi are planned, framing the dialogue as a step toward stabilizing relations between the world’s two largest economies.
AFP
