Washington, 19 September 2025 — U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to take steps this week to reach an agreement that will allow TikTok to remain operational in the United States, potentially easing tensions amid their nations’ intense trade standoff. The issue is among top-level priorities as the two leaders prepare for their first conversation in months.
Sources say a deal under discussion would require ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, to divest ownership of U.S. operations or restructure governance in a way that satisfies U.S. security concerns. The U.S. Congress had previously ordered a shutdown of the app by January 2025 unless it met those conditions. Trump has delayed enforcement of that law, citing worries that banning TikTok could upset its large user base. “I like TikTok; it helped get me elected,” Trump remarked, signalling how politically charged the issue has become.
While Beijing has yet to formally confirm the upcoming call, it is seen as part of a broader diplomatic thaw. The leaders are also slated to discuss trade and possibly coordinate a summit at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting from late October in South Korea.
Still, many questions remain unresolved. Congress is watching closely for details on exactly how much control China would retain over TikTok post-deal, how algorithmic data handling would be structured, and whether new regulations would satisfy national security demands. ByteDance’s usage of proprietary algorithms remains a sticking point.
Relations between Washington and Beijing remain tense over multiple fronts. Alongside TikTok, the U.S. is pressing China on semiconductor supply restrictions, fentanyl export enforcement, and agricultural imports such as soybeans and Boeing aircraft. Trump also faces the ongoing challenge of balancing strong domestic rhetoric on tariffs with pragmatic solutions to avoid economic fallout.
