Trump says US will start talks with China on TikTok deal this week

05 July 2025 - 16:18 By Reuters
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
US President Donald Trump said on Friday he will start talking to China on Monday or Tuesday about a possible TikTok deal. File photo.
US President Donald Trump said on Friday he will start talking to China on Monday or Tuesday about a possible TikTok deal. File photo.
Image: REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

US President Donald Trump said on Friday he will start talking to China on Monday or Tuesday about a possible TikTok deal.

He said the US “pretty much” has a deal on the sale of the TikTok short-video app.

“I think we're gonna start Monday or Tuesday ... talking to China, perhaps President Xi or one of his representatives, but we would pretty much have a deal,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One.

Last month, Trump extended to September 17 a deadline for China-based ByteDance to divest the US assets of TikTok.

A deal had been in the works this spring to spin off TikTok's US operations into a new US-based firm, majority-owned and operated by US investors, but it was put on hold after China indicated it would not approve it after Trump's announcements of steep tariffs on Chinese goods.

Trump said the US will probably have to get a deal approved by China.

When asked how confident he was that China would agree to a deal, he said, “I'm not confident, but I think so. President Xi and I have a great relationship, and I think it's good for them. I think the deal is good for China and it's good for us.”

Reuters


subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now

Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.