Chinese officials appeared skeptical of Donald Trump's proposal for a 50% U.S. ownership of TikTok, hours after the incoming U.S. president vowed to end a ban on the app in China.
Trump said on Sunday he would issue an executive order to give TikTok parent ByteDance more time to reach a deal and prevent the short-form video app from being banned in the United States.
He also raised the possibility of China and the United States becoming equal partners as TikTok owners.
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“I want the United States to have 50% ownership in a joint venture. By doing this, we can save TikTok, put it in good hands and keep it alive,” Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social one post read.
“Without U.S. approval, there would be no TikTok. With our approval, it would be worth hundreds of billions of dollars — perhaps trillions of dollars,” Trump wrote.
On Monday, however, Chinese officials seemed pessimistic about Trump's proposal.
China's Foreign Ministry said at a regular press conference that it believed companies should “independently decide” their operations and transactions. Ministry of Commerce spokesperson Mao Ning said Acquisitions involving Chinese companies need to comply with Chinese laws and regulations.
She also pointed out that “TikTok has been operating in the United States for many years and is deeply loved by American users.”
“We hope that the United States can listen carefully to the voice of reason and provide an open, fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment for companies operating in the United States.” Mao Zedong added.
The comments came as Trump vowed to support Prompt TikTok to resume service Late Saturday, the company stopped serving U.S. users.
TikTok has chosen to shut down its services in the United States ahead of a U.S. law banning the app that takes effect on Sunday. The law requires ByteDance to sell TikTok's U.S. operations or face a ban from January 19.
But considering that the outgoing Joe Biden administration has said that blocking TikTok is not necessary It does not enforce divestment or prohibition laws And leave its implementation to Trump.
The Biden administration has previously said TikTok threatened to “shut down” It's a “gimmick”.
a day of drama
Nonetheless, according to Google Trends, web searches for “VPN” surged in the minutes after U.S. users became unable to access TikTok.
Instagram users are also concerned about whether they will still receive items purchased on TikTok Shop, the video platform's e-commerce arm.
Hours later on Sunday, TikTok announced its return in a message to U.S. users: “Thanks to the efforts of President Trump, TikTok is back in the United States.”
“TikTok is restoring service in accordance with agreements with our service providers,” TikTok said in a statement. The statement also thanked Trump for “providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers to ensure they will not Face any penalties for providing TikTok services.” Serving more than 170 million Americans and allowing more than 7 million small businesses to thrive. “
Meanwhile, Trump’s incoming national security adviser Mike Walz also told CNN on Sunday Trump did not rule out China continuing to own TikTok if steps are taken to ensure that American users' data is protected and stored in the United States.
Walz told CNN that the president-elect is working to “save TikTok” and did not rule out the possibility of continued Chinese ownership as well as a “firewall to ensure data is protected on U.S. soil.”
At a subsequent pre-inauguration rally, Trump reiterated his commitment to TikTok.
“Frankly, we have no choice. We have to save it,” he said.
Divisiveness over Trump
Trump's support for TikTok comes at a time of tense relations between China and the United States. Trump says he plans to impose tariffs on China But it also shows He wants more direct contact with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
His rescue of TikTok also represents a reversal of his stance from his first term. In 2020, Trump planned to ban the app over concerns that the company was sharing Americans' personal information with the Chinese government.
However, this time, Trump said He has a warm place in his heart for TikTokcredited the app with helping him win over young voters in the 2024 presidential election.
Trump's new love for TikTok also highlights his differences with his party and supporters on the issue.
Just on Sunday, Musk, now a close aide, said that while he opposed banning TikTok, China's ban on his social platform X was “unbalanced.”
“Something needs to change,” Musk wrote in a post on X.
I have long opposed the TikTok ban because it violates free speech.
Nonetheless, the current situation where TikTok is allowed to operate in the United States, while 𝕏 is not allowed to operate in China, is unbalanced.
Something needs to change. https://t.co/YVu2hkZEVZ
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 19, 2025
At the same time, divisions are brewing within Trump's Republican Party.
“Now that the law is already in effect, there is no legal basis to 'extend' its effective date,” Republican Senators Tom Cotton and Pete Ricketts said in a joint statement. For TikTok to come back online in the future, ByteDance must agree to a sale that satisfies legally qualified divestiture requirements by severing all ties between TikTok and communist China.
A lack of clarity over TikTok's future and stripping or banning laws meant US app stores took a safer route, making the app unavailable for download starting Sunday.
As of early Monday, other apps owned by ByteDance, including video editing app CapCut and lifestyle social app Lemon8, were also offline and unavailable in U.S. app stores.
Declare the application to be unavailable, iPhone maker Apple says It is “obligated to comply with the laws of the jurisdictions in which it operates”.
- Vishakha Saxena, Reuters
Also read:
US 'TikTok refugees' flock to new Chinese app – CNN
TikTok calls reports of possible sale to Elon Musk 'pure fiction'
Can Donald Trump exempt TikTok from US ban?
ByteDance “prefers to shut down TikTok in the US” if legal fight fails
The United States says the forced sale of TikTok is for security rather than free speech
'China won't allow it': TikTok compares spinoff to chip ban
Trump says he will ‘never ban TikTok’ if elected – New York Post
TikTok comes under U.S. legal crackdown for 'harmful' impact on children
U.S. polls show that nearly half of Generation Z wish TikTok had never been invented
EU MP: TikTok CEO 'must explain role in Romanian polls' – Politico
Canada orders TikTok to close offices in country – Reuters
