WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to hold a crucial phone call on Friday, their first in three months, with TikTok and trade relations topping the agenda. U.S. officials confirmed the discussion, though Beijing has yet to formally announce it.
At the center of the talks is the future of TikTok in the U.S. Congress had ordered the app to be shut down for American users by January 2025 unless its U.S. assets were sold by its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. Trump, however, has delayed enforcement, citing both the app’s political influence and its vast user base. He openly credited TikTok for aiding his electoral outreach, calling it “tremendous value.”
A potential deal would see TikTok’s U.S. assets transferred to American owners while still relying on ByteDance’s algorithm, a compromise that has raised national security concerns in Washington. Lawmakers fear Beijing could retain undue influence, while China dismisses such claims as unfounded.
The call also comes as Washington and Beijing weigh a possible in-person summit during the APEC meeting in South Korea from October 30 to November 1. Relations between the world’s two largest economies remain strained amid disputes over tariffs, technology access, and fentanyl exports.
Trump has escalated tariffs to century-high levels, arguing they protect U.S. jobs and correct trade imbalances. China has retaliated with restrictions on rare-earth exports vital for U.S. technology industries. Despite tensions, China remains America’s third-largest trading partner.
Analysts suggest TikTok has become a bargaining chip in the broader standoff. “China’s effective use of sticks and carrots has shifted leverage in its favor,” noted Scott Kennedy of CSIS.
The outcome of Friday’s call could determine not only TikTok’s survival in the U.S. but also the trajectory of U.S.-China relations in the months ahead.
