TikTok’s Fate Hangs by a Thread After Trump–Xi Talks End Without a Deal
Adshine.pro10/31/20256 views
Remember that grand Oval Office signing ceremony last month, when U.S. President Donald Trump triumphantly declared that Americans should be “thankful” to him for saving TikTok?
Well, as it turns out, that moment might have carried more symbolic weight than actual substance — because despite repeated claims that a U.S. TikTok deal is imminent, the Chinese government still hasn’t signed off on any proposed arrangement.
And without Beijing’s approval, nothing can move forward.
Earlier this week, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he had “positive discussions” with Chinese officials and expected a breakthrough following Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday.
But as that meeting concluded, it appeared that while both leaders found some common ground on broader trade matters, TikTok wasn’t one of them — despite U.S. officials insisting that “progress” had been made.
Bessent told reporters afterward:
“We finalized the TikTok agreement in terms of getting Chinese approval, and I would expect that would go forward in the coming weeks and months, and we’ll finally see a resolution to that.”
Chinese state media, however, was notably more reserved. One outlet simply noted that:
“China will properly resolve issues related to TikTok with the U.S. side.”
Meanwhile, China Daily added a more diplomatic tone:
“Economic and trade consultations between China and the U.S. demonstrate that — guided by the principles of equality, respect, and mutual benefit — the two sides can find solutions to issues through dialogue and cooperation. These outcomes did not come easily, however, China looks forward to working with the U.S. to ensure their effective implementation, which will create greater certainty and stability in China-U.S. economic relations and the global economy.”
That hardly sounds like an enthusiastic green light. If anything, it reads as if Beijing is waiting to see whether Washington delivers on other trade commitments before taking any further steps on TikTok.
The sticking point here likely revolves around the U.S. tariffs still imposed on Chinese imports — restrictions that continue to choke segments of China’s trade with America. In theory, such tariffs encourage domestic production and benefit American workers, but they simultaneously undercut China’s export economy, which has been a central theme of ongoing negotiations.
At this stage, it appears Beijing may be waiting for tangible tariff relief before granting any formal TikTok approval. It’s possible that Chinese officials have signaled conditional support behind closed doors — but until those trade barriers shift, progress seems stalled.
What’s clear, however, is that Chinese leaders remain deeply frustrated by Washington’s trade tactics.
Following the latest wave of U.S. tariffs announced earlier this month, Chinese officials blasted the move, accusing the U.S. of engaging in protectionism rather than promoting fair competition. They even claimed that the targeting of Chinese firms like TikTok is “nothing more than an excuse for the U.S. to impose protectionist tariffs on Chinese goods in the face of China’s highly competitive economy.”
That assessment isn’t entirely baseless. The Trump administration’s trade posture has always leaned toward heavy-handed economic nationalism — penalizing companies that depend on foreign manufacturing in an effort to bring jobs and production back to U.S. soil.
But if those tariffs remain, the cost and complexity of any potential TikTok sale could rise dramatically.
In fact, some reports suggest that Chinese negotiators are pushing for a far broader framework as part of the deal — one that extends beyond trade and technology into geopolitical territory. That could include pressure on Trump to publicly recognize China’s sovereignty claims over Taiwan, a position that would mark a dramatic break from decades of U.S. foreign policy.
It’s remarkable to think that a short-form video app — once known mainly for lip-syncing and dance trends — has now become entangled in the fate of international trade, national sovereignty, and global diplomacy. But here we are, in 2025.
For now, the ball appears to be in Trump’s court. If he follows through on his reported commitment to reduce tariffs and ease certain trade restrictions, the TikTok deal might finally move forward.
Until then, it remains another unresolved chapter in the increasingly complex relationship between Washington and Beijing — with a social media app improbably caught at the center of it all.
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