New Hope for TikTok: China, US Move Closer to Agreement After Trump–Xi Meeting

The US Congress has already passed a law that could ban TikTok in the US if it does not divest its ownership stake from the Chinese company ByteDance. Trump halted the TikTok ban process after becoming president, hoping to find a solution that would allow the app to remain in the US while upholding data security standards.

The core issue behind the TikTok controversy is data and algorithm control. China maintains that TikTok's recommendation algorithm will remain under its control under Chinese law. The US demands that the app be fully owned by the US to prevent data leaks or espionage. Analyst Bonnie Glaser, Indo-Pacific Program Director at the German Marshall Fund, says the issue isn't a major issue for President Xi Jinping, but she sees no harm in letting Trump take credit for the deal. She said the question is whether the deal complies with US law and ensures the security of American citizens' data.

TikTok's popularity is steadily increasing. According to a Pew Research Center report, 43% of adults under the age of 30 in the US regularly access news from TikTok, more than any other social media platform. However, opinions on the TikTok ban in the US are divided. Surveys show about a third of Americans support a ban on the app, while an equal number oppose it.

For now, the new round of talks between the two countries raises hope for TikTok's future. Experts believe that if this deal is finalized, it could be a major step toward cooling the China-US technology war.