Hong Kong
CNN
—
For many of TikTok’s 170 million US users, US President Donald Trump’s decision to delay a legal ban on the popular social media platform was cause for celebration.
But in China, where TikTok’s parent company is based, the reception has been less positive, largely because Trump has suggested he might require the company to give up 50% of its shares for avoid a shutdown and suggested tariffs on Chinese goods could depend on Beijing’s approval of a possible future deal.
Asked about Trump’s vision for TikTok’s future, China’s Foreign Ministry said the “operation and acquisition of businesses” should be “decided by businesses” and consistent with Chinese law.
The United States should “seriously listen to the voice of reason” and “provide an open, fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment” for businesses in all countries, spokesman Guo Jiakun said Tuesday.
Hours after his inauguration on Monday, Trump issued an executive order delaying for 75 days the implementation of a controversial law, which requires TikTok to be banned in the United States unless it sells to an American buyer or to the one of his allies.
The executive action follows Trump’s pledge on Sunday that he would delay enforcement of the law. TikTok said that reassurance allowed it to come back online after more than 12 hours of darkness over the weekend.
The delay will help the Trump administration “determine an appropriate path forward in an orderly manner that protects national security while avoiding an abrupt shutdown of a communications platform used by millions of Americans,” the statement said. ‘prescription.
In recent days, Trump has repeatedly suggested he might be open to having a U.S. buyer buy half of the company and run it as a 50-50 joint venture with its current Chinese owner, ByteDance.
A joint venture involving a U.S. company with a 50% stake in TikTok would soften the letter of the controversial law, although it’s unclear whether U.S. lawmakers or TikTok, which denies it poses a national security risk for Americans would accept it.
On Chinese social media, where TikTok’s plight emerged as one of several efforts by the United States to thwart Beijing’s technical prowess, Trump’s suggestions were met with disdain.
Tens of millions of users on social media platform Weibo flocked to hashtags related to the potential 50-50 ownership, with many denouncing “theft” from the US government.
“Apple and Tesla should then also sell 50% of their shares to Chinese companies,” said one comment with thousands of likes.
“Then we need 50% control over Nvidia!” said another commenter, referring to the American chipmaker.
“China won’t let ByteDance kneel,” read another comment, referring to TikTok’s parent company. “Theft does not change its nature simply because it goes from 100% to 50%,” the commentary adds.
Media giant ByteDance does not operate TikTok in China, but its sister app Douyin is popular domestically.
Meanwhile, an editorial in the state-run nationalist tabloid Global Times on On Tuesday, he examined the handling of the US ban and concluded that “the trap that some Americans have set for TikTok has rather ensnared them.”
“The political manipulation of an overly broad security concept against TikTok has not only caused fluctuations in the emotions of the American public, but also led to ‘deep personal pain’ for those who rely on it for a living,” can – we read in the editorial.
TikTok and prices
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the fate of TikTok, the United States and China appear to be showing interest in dialogue as the new administration takes office.
In a phone call with Trump on Friday, Chinese leader Xi Jinping called for a “new starting point” in U.S.-China relations and highlighted their “broad common interests.” Trump noted that the call included discussion about TikTok.
Xi also sent Chinese Vice President Han Zheng to Trump’s inauguration, the highest-ranking official Beijing has ever sent to a U.S. presidential inauguration.
Trump’s executive order on TikTok is part of a series of signals from the newly sworn-in president that he is ready to negotiate with Beijing, despite campaigning on a tough stance on the country, the United States’ main geopolitical rival. United.
On Monday, Trump also refrained from imposing tariffs on Chinese goods, which observers said could be on his first day agenda. During his election trial, Trump threatened to impose tariffs of up to 60% on Chinese imports to the United States, and Beijing is preparing for greater economic competition with the United States.
Asked Monday about those tariffs, Trump said the duties he imposed as president the first time around were still in place. He did not specify a time frame by which he might impose more duties, although he said tariffs on Mexican and Canadian products could take effect on February 1.
But Trump also suggested that the tariffs could be linked to the fate of TikTok, raising questions about what kind of tough negotiations the president might have in mind in the coming months.
In a speech in the Oval Office on Monday, Trump proposed imposing tariffs of up to 100% on China if Beijing does not approve a possible future deal.
“If we wanted to do a deal with TikTok and it was a good deal and China wouldn’t approve it…I think ultimately they would approve it because we would maybe impose tariffs to China,” he said, while suggesting it was not the only approach he could take.
Beijing has previously suggested it has the legal authority to block any deal involving TikTok, saying such a sale or divestment would involve “exporting technology” – an apparent reference to the potential sale of the platform’s proprietary algorithm. ‘application.
Trump ally and Tesla CEO Elon Musk also joined the fray to discuss the future of TikTok, alluding to the “need for change” in comments Sunday on X, the social media platform that he owns. According to Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal, Chinese officials are discussing a possible option that would involve selling at least part of the U.S. version of the app to Musk’s X.
Musk emphasized that X was not available in China. Most major US technology platforms are blocked from the country due to Beijing’s tight controls on speech and information under the so-called Great Firewall.
“I have been against banning TikTok for a long time because it goes against free speech,” Musk wrote. “That said, the current situation, in which TikTok is allowed to operate in America, but X is not allowed to operate in China, is unbalanced. Something has to change.
