U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a deal with China to allow the popular video-sharing platform TikTok to continue operating in the United States. Trump said he will speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday to confirm the details.
“We have a group of very big companies that want to buy it. And you know, the kids want it so badly,” Trump told reporters. He added that many parents also urged him to save the app for their children, News.Az reports, citing Al Jazeera.
Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday extending the deadline for TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, to divest from the platform until December 16, or face a ban. While specific details of the deal were not disclosed, media reports suggest China’s stake in TikTok could be reduced to less than 20 percent.
China’s state newspaper, People’s Daily, described the agreement as an example of “cooperation for mutual benefit,” emphasizing the protection of Chinese enterprises’ rights and proper handling of technology export and intellectual property matters.
TikTok has over 170 million users in the U.S., and its future has been uncertain since Congress passed legislation requiring ByteDance to divest due to concerns about potential Chinese government influence.
Experts have raised questions about the implications of the deal. Yan Liang, an economics professor, noted the possibility of concessions from the U.S., while legal experts warned of potential political influence over TikTok content. Critics also say the executive order bypasses legislative procedures, raising concerns about the rule of law.
Supporters argue the deal preserves free speech and maintains access to a platform widely used by young Americans.
