Photo: Depositphotos
7 April – Washington/Beijing – US President Donald Trump said that China’s resistance to new US tariffs has stalled a deal to sell TikTok to an American investor. According to Bloomberg, Trump made the statement on 6 April in a conversation with journalists.
“We were very close to a deal. If I had lowered the tariffs a little bit, China would have approved it in 15 minutes. This shows how powerful tariffs are,” Trump said.
What happened to TikTok?
The popular social network TikTok is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, and according to the US law of 2024, it must sell its US business by 19 January – or face a ban.
Earlier, it was reported that the US consortium of investors was close to concluding a deal, but Beijing’s position changed dramatically after Trump announced the introduction of new duties on Chinese goods.
Despite ByteDance’s statements about its unwillingness to sell its profitable business, valued at $20-150 billion, the Trump administration continued to apply pressure. On 20 January, the president extended the “sell or be banned” deadline, and on 4 April, he signed another 75-day extension.
Who is in charge of negotiations?
Key figures in the administration are working to find a compromise:
– Vice President JD Vance
– National Security Adviser Mike Volz
Their goal is to find an agreement that will simultaneously satisfy the US side, ensure the safety of US user data, and reduce the risks of influence from the Chinese state.
Context: the customs war is gaining momentum
Trump’s new duties have already caused tensions with the EU, Israel, Canada, and China. Experts call the situation the beginning of the second trade war, in which TikTok has become one of the key symbols of the geopolitical confrontation between Washington and Beijing.
Beijing has not yet officially commented on Trump’s statement. However, sources in Chinese business circles call Washington’s demands “pressure that violates market freedom”.
TikTok remains at the centre of the battle not only for billions of dollars, but also for digital sovereignty in the 21st century.
