Trump claims China could finalize TikTok deal in minutes if tariffs cut
- The U.S. government has mandated that TikTok must find an American buyer or face closure in the U.S.
- Tariffs imposed by the Trump administration have complicated negotiations for the sale of TikTok.
- Trump emphasized the influence of tariffs, stating that China would finalize a deal swiftly if they were reduced.
In the United States, discussions surrounding TikTok's sale have been intensifying due to U.S. tariffs imposed on Chinese imports. In early September 2020, President Donald Trump announced an extension of the deadline for TikTok to find an American buyer or face a ban, citing critical negotiations with the Chinese government. The original deadline had originated from a U.S. law that required the app, owned by ByteDance, to divest its operations from its Chinese roots to avoid being removed from U.S. app stores. During these discussions, Trump claimed that tariffs were affecting the negotiation process. He suggested that if these tariffs were lowered, an agreement could be reached in mere minutes. The situation highlights the complexities arising from the intertwined issues of technology ownership, international diplomacy, and trade policies. Meanwhile, ByteDance acknowledged ongoing talks but warned unresolved matters remained, which would need to comply with Chinese laws. The saga surrounding TikTok and its ties to China opened up broader debates about national security and foreign collaboration in the technology sector, reflecting significant geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and China.