US president Donald Trump said he plans to meet Chinese Premier Xi Jinping in South Korea next month following a phone call in which the Chinese leader approved a deal to control TikTok's US operations.
Trump wrote on Truth Social that the call was 'productive', stating that the approval was appreciated, and he mentioned he would travel to China next year after their meeting. TikTok, operated by Chinese firm ByteDance, had previously been ordered to sell its US operations or risk being shut down.
Although Trump had delayed implementing the ban several times since it was first announced, he has now extended the deadline again to December. In the recent post, he conveyed that the two leaders made progress on various trade issues during their conversation, and they will meet at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit scheduled for the end of October in South Korea.
After the summit, Trump expressed plans for a visit to China, which would be followed by a corresponding visit from Xi to the US. The details surrounding the TikTok deal remain limited, but it is said to involve collaboration with US firms, potentially including Oracle, to allow TikTok to continue operating in the US while utilizing algorithms licensed from ByteDance.
China has reiterated its clear position on TikTok, welcoming commercial negotiations that comply with its laws and regulations. They hope for an open and fair business environment for their companies in the US.
While speaking alongside UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Trump noted TikTok's 'tremendous value' to the US and acknowledged the importance of the investors involved.
Despite his shifting stance, concerns remain among US lawmakers regarding ByteDance's links to the Chinese Communist Party and implications for national security. This meeting marks the second discussion between Xi and Trump this year, following a previous call that addressed China's export of rare earth minerals.
