Trump to begin talks with China over TikTok deal, says it’s ‘good for China’

The president said the US will likely need China’s approval for the deal. Asked how confident he was that Beijing would agree to a deal, “I’m not confident, but I think so,” he said. “President Xi and I have a great relationship, and I think it’s good for them. I think the deal is good for China and it’s good for us.”

Trump also said he might visit Xi Jinping in China or the Chinese leader may visit the US. This comes after the two leaders last month invited each other to visit their respective countries.

Last month, Trump extended a deadline to September 17 for TikTok’s China-based parent company, ByteDance, to divest its US assets.

A deal to spin off TikTok’s US operations into a separate, majority US-owned company had been in progress earlier this year. But the plan was stalled after China signaled disapproval following Trump’s announcement of new tariffs on Chinese goods.

Trump’s extension in June marked the third time he has delayed the ban or forced sale of TikTok, granting ByteDance another 90 days to find a US buyer or face a ban.

Trump first intervened on his first day back in office, issuing an executive order just three days after the Supreme Court upheld the TikTok ban. A second order followed in April, setting a deadline of June 19. With the latest extension, TikTok now has until September to reach a deal.

In a statement released the same day, TikTok expressed appreciation for the administration’s approach. “We are grateful for President Trump’s leadership,” the company said, adding that it would “continue to work with Vice President Vance’s office” to reach an agreement.

(With Inputs from Reuters)