A phone call on Friday between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping showed notable progress on the future of TikTok, though no final agreement has yet been reached, according to a White House official.
Speaking later from the Oval Office, President Trump said: “The TikTok deal is well on its way, and the investors are getting ready. What’s left is to get it signed, which I think could be more of a formality.”
While the White House emphasized progress, China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency issued a more cautious readout. Beijing reiterated: “The Chinese government respects the autonomy of companies, supports negotiations based on market rules, and expects solutions that comply with Chinese laws while balancing interests.”
At the same time, U.S. officials stressed their intention to strengthen bilateral trade cooperation and pledged support for continued talks between negotiating teams to resolve the TikTok issue.
TikTok, owned by Beijing-based ByteDance, has long been at the center of political and regulatory disputes in Washington. Under U.S. law, ByteDance faces an ultimatum: divest TikTok’s American business or risk a nationwide ban.
Former President Joe Biden signed the law in April 2024, initially setting a January 19 deadline. Since returning to office, however, Trump has repeatedly extended that timeline, most recently to December 16.
Notably, Trump has openly praised TikTok, even crediting the platform with helping him secure victory in the 2024 presidential election. During a recent visit to the U.K., he said: “TikTok has tremendous value, and I don’t want to lose that. I like TikTok.”
Beyond TikTok, Friday’s phone call also touched on broader issues, including trade relations, the fentanyl crisis, and the war in Ukraine.
Trump announced that he and Xi plan to meet in person during the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea. He also confirmed plans to visit China early next year, with Xi expected to make a reciprocal visit to the United States at a later stage.
Analysts say that despite both leaders’ positive tone, the contrasting official statements from Washington and Beijing highlight the challenges ahead in securing a final TikTok agreement.
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