U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping have made advancements regarding a TikTok agreement and are scheduled to meet in person in six weeks in South Korea to address trade, illegal drugs, and Russia’s ongoing conflict in Ukraine. During their first conversation in three months, the two leaders seemed to ease tensions, although it was not immediately evident that the call had produced the definitive agreement that had been anticipated concerning the future of the widely-used short-video application. Nonetheless, the leaders did concur on the necessity for additional discussions during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, which is set to commence on October 31 in Gyeongju, South Korea.
Trump also mentioned his plans to visit China early next year, with Xi expected to visit the U.S. at a later time. both parties were organizing such a meeting. “He approved the TikTok deal,” Trump informed reporters in the Oval Office, noting that a formal signing of the agreement might still be necessary. “The TikTok deal is well on its way.” Trump further indicated that there was positive progress regarding trade, fentanyl, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict during the call, which he described as lasting approximately two hours. “I believe he would like to see it ended,” Trump remarked regarding Xi’s perspective on the Russia-Ukraine war. Beijing’s final endorsement of a framework agreement established by both parties this week represents one of the obstacles Trump must overcome to ensure TikTok remains operational. Congress had mandated the app’s closure for U.S. users by January 2025 unless its U.S. assets were divested by its Chinese owner, ByteDance. China’s announcement did not mention a formal agreement concerning TikTok. Trump had indicated several times throughout the week that a deal could be imminent. “China’s stance on the TikTok matter is unequivocal: The Chinese government honors the preferences of the company involved,” the government stated in a release that advocated for equitable treatment of its enterprises. “The U.S. will collaborate with China on economic and trade matters, and will assist their teams in achieving a suitable agreement on TikTok through dialogue.”
