…TikTok remains one of the most downloaded and influential apps in the US, especially among young users.
BEIJING, CHINA – The iNews Times | China on Friday urged the United States to resolve the ongoing dispute over TikTok through respectful dialogue, as both nations prepare for critical talks in Spain next week that could determine the future of the popular social media platform in the US.
With the September 17 deadline looming for TikTok to find a non-Chinese buyer or face a nationwide ban, tensions have escalated between Washington and Beijing over data security, business fairness, and geopolitical influence.
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce, in a strongly worded statement, called on the US government to engage in “mutual respect and equal consultations” to address both sides’ concerns and avoid unilateral actions.
“China urges the United States to work with China based on mutual respect and equal consultations, to resolve each other’s concerns through dialogue,” the ministry stated. Such an approach, it added, would help foster a “fair and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises, including TikTok, to continue operating in the United States.”
The ministry also emphasized that resolving the issue diplomatically would promote “healthy and sustainable” economic relations between the world’s two largest economies.
The call for dialogue comes just days before high-level economic talks scheduled in Spain, where US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is expected to meet with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng. Both countries have confirmed that TikTok will be one of the key agenda items, alongside broader trade and investment concerns.
TikTok, owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, has faced growing scrutiny in the US over national security fears, with lawmakers and intelligence agencies warning that the app could potentially share sensitive user data with the Chinese government, an allegation TikTok and Beijing have repeatedly denied.
As former president, Donald Trump originally ordered the app’s divestment or ban in 2020, and the Biden administration has continued to pursue similar restrictions. The current deadline extended three times by President Trump expires on September 17, just one day before a federal law requiring the app’s sale or shutdown is set to kick in.
As the clock ticks down, the stakes are high. TikTok remains one of the most downloaded and influential apps in the US, especially among young users, and any move to ban it could trigger legal, economic, and diplomatic blowback.
While American officials insist the issue centers on national security, Chinese leaders see it as part of a broader effort to contain the rise of Chinese tech firms globally.
Whether next week’s meetings in Spain yield a breakthrough remains uncertain. But Friday’s appeal from Beijing signals that China is hoping for negotiation not confrontation.
