U.S. and China outline agreement to save TikTok from shutdown

In September 2025, the United States and China reached a framework agreement concerning the ownership of the popular social media platform TikTok. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed this development after negotiations took place in Spain between American and Chinese officials. The discussions focused on the future ownership of TikTok, aiming to transition to U.S.-controlled management while attending to national security concerns related to data handling and user privacy. President Donald Trump announced that he would be holding a call with Chinese President Xi Jinping to finalize the details of the agreement, emphasizing the important negotiations surrounding TikTok's future. This framework emerged after significant political pressure on TikTok, driven by bipartisan concerns regarding national security and data collection by foreign adversaries. U.S. lawmakers had previously passed legislation demanding TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, divest its American operations to avoid a ban after the Supreme Court unanimously upheld the law. The implications of this deal could impact the app's approximately 170 million users in the U.S., allowing them continued access to the platform while addressing concerns related to its ownership. The commercial terms of the deal have been described as agreed upon, although the specific details remain private. Compounding these negotiations was the urgency posed by an impending deadline threatening TikTok's viability within American app stores if no resolution was reached. The prospect of extending this deadline provided some room for the final details to be ironed out, particularly regarding the control over the app's algorithm and user data. In response to the negotiations, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent acknowledged the aggressive asks from the Chinese side regarding concessions on trade policies. The outcome of these negotiations is critical for both nations as they navigate complex trade relationships and address the ongoing challenges in data security and digital sovereignty. The discussion points underscore the fragile nature of U.S.-China relations, especially concerning technology and corporate governance in a landscape fraught with competition and concerns over influence.