Next week's trade discussions with China may involve the popular video-sharing platform TikTok, as stated by the US Commerce Secretary.
TikTok's Future Hangs in the Balance Ahead of U.S.-China Trade Talks
As the third round of U.S.-China trade negotiations approaches on July 27, 2025, in Stockholm, the fate of popular social media app TikTok remains uncertain [1][2][3]. The app, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, is not officially on the trade agenda, but it is expected to be discussed unofficially due to its relevance to the broader U.S.-China economic relationship and geopolitical tensions.
The U.S. government has ordered ByteDance to divest ownership of TikTok's U.S. operations, including its proprietary algorithm, by September 17, 2025, due to national security concerns about Chinese control over user data. The U.S. demands that Americans own and control the algorithm and technology, while China might maintain a minor stake [1][2].
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated that if China does not approve the proposed divestment deal, TikTok will be forced to go dark (ban its service) in the United States again, as had briefly happened earlier [2][3]. The Biden administration is continuing enforcement steps initially started under Trump, who repeatedly extended deadlines for ByteDance to divest.
If the deal is approved, Americans will control the algorithm of TikTok, ensuring the app remains operational in the U.S. [2][3]. Lutnick also mentioned that China may have a small piece of TikTok or ByteDance if the deal is approved. However, the reasons for the migration of American TikTok users to China's RedNote, another social media platform, are not explicitly stated [1][2][3].
The potential U.S. ban of TikTok and the migration of American users to RedNote have been topics of discussion in the context of trade talks, but it is not confirmed if they are directly related [1][2][3]. The political background of this situation is tied to national security concerns, with deadlines extended several times.
In summary, the future of TikTok is uncertain, as it depends on China's approval of the deal. The reasons for the migration of American TikTok users to China's RedNote are not explicitly stated, and the speaker did not specify who he was referring to when he mentioned "somebody" in the context of trade talks. The American government will own the technology of TikTok if a deal is approved, but the future of TikTok in the U.S. or China remains unclear.
[1] The Guardian
[2] CNBC
[3] Reuters
- TheUnited Statesdemands to ensure American ownership and control of TikTok's technology, a crucial aspect of the app's algorithm, as part of the diplomatic discussions between the two nations.
- The potentialapproval of the divestment deal would allow Americans to control TikTok's technology, but the future of the platform's operations in the context of trade, especially due to the relevance of the app to the broader economic relationship, remains unclear.
- Despite the discussion of TikTok's possible ban and the migration of users to RedNote in the trade talks, it is uncertain if these are directly related, and the reasons for such a migration are not explicitly stated.
