Chinese language Officers Weigh US TikTok Proposal

Look, I’m not saying that TikTok is prone to be banned within the U.S. later this month, however…

Whereas studies simply earlier than Christmas instructed that a TikTok U.S. deal had been signed, guaranteeing that the app would stay in operation in America, with a neighborhood model of the platform to be offered into U.S. possession, the statements from Chinese language officers on any deal sound rather a lot much less definitive, and much more like there are issues to to be finalized earlier than any such deal would possibly go into impact.

As a fast recap, on December 18th, studies circulated that after virtually a 12 months of negotiations, TikTok’s administration had knowledgeable its U.S. workers {that a} deal had been signed, and that TikTok’s American operations would proceed on, after being offered to an Oracle-led consortium that may oversee its operation throughout the U.S.

TikTok was technically banned within the U.S. as of January nineteenth, 2025, as a part of the Senate-approved “Defending Individuals from International Adversary Managed Functions Act.” However upon his inauguration as President on January twentieth, President Trump issued an Govt Order to withhold enforcement of the invoice, to be able to give his workforce a chance to probably re-negotiate the small print.

Trump has since issued 4 additional Govt Orders to pause the act, and in September, Trump and his workforce held a information convention to announce that they’d “saved” TikTok within the U.S., by presenting a viable supply to Chinese language officers to safe the sell-off of the platform’s native operations.

However Chinese language officers mentioned nothing, and in December, it nonetheless appeared like no deal was pending, regardless of the White Home’s assurances.

However then, as famous, simply earlier than Christmas, there was seemingly a breakthrough, with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew sending an e-mail to workers notifying them of the deal, which is able to come into impact on January twenty second, 2026, a day earlier than the expiry of President Trump’s fourth Govt Order to withhold enforcement of the invoice.

So, all good, proper? TikTok negotiates a sell-off to a U.S. entity, assembly the necessities of the act, and TikTok stay in operation for its hundreds of thousands of American customers.

Effectively…

Chinese language state media issued a press release on the reported deal on December twenty fifth, which sounds rather a lot much less assured than earlier studies.

As reported by China Day by day:

“The Chinese language authorities hopes that related events can attain an answer relating to TikTok that complies with Chinese language legal guidelines and rules and achieves a steadiness of pursuits.”

So, not precisely a performed deal then.

“To implement the essential consensus reached in the course of the telephone name between the heads of state of China and america, the financial and commerce groups of either side beforehand reached a primary framework consensus on correctly resolving points comparable to TikTok by means of cooperation, primarily based on mutual respect and equal session, the [Chinese government] spokesperson mentioned.”

The spokesperson additional “expressed hope” that the U.S. negotiators will “earnestly fulfill” their commitments, as expressed of their negotiations.

“The spokesperson additionally urged the U.S. to supply a good, open, clear, and non-discriminatory enterprise surroundings for the continual and secure operation of Chinese language enterprises in america, in order to advertise the secure, wholesome, and sustainable growth of China-U.S. financial and commerce relations.”

So, it sounds just like the Chinese language authorities continues to be not joyful about being pressured to unload a Chinese language enterprise on the discretion of the U.S. authorities, and is in search of extra assurances that this received’t occur once more.

Which might imply {that a} TikTok deal goes forward, nevertheless TikTok proprietor ByteDance hasn’t issued any official assertion, and the notes from the Chinese language authorities above sound like they’re nonetheless weighing the small print, and in search of additional assurances, earlier than giving the go-ahead.

So, whereas it had appeared like we had reached the top of the long-running TikTok-U.S. saga, which has actually being happening since Trump issued an preliminary Govt Order to ban TikTok again in 2020 (partly in retaliation for the unfold of COVID), we should see one more extension, or perhaps a ban of the app, when it’s newest extension is up on the twenty third of this month.

I’m not saying that’s going to occur, however studying the official statements, I’d be much less assured concerning the deal going by means of than others.