US President Donald Trump says he may cut tariffs on China to help seal a deal for short video app TikTok to be sold by its owner ByteDance. Trump also said he was willing to extend a 5 April deadline for a non-Chinese buyer of the platform to be found. In January, hedelayed the implementationof a law passed under the Biden administration to ban TikTok. The legislation, which was signed into law in 2024, cited national security grounds for the sell or be banned order. "With respect to TikTok, and China is going to have to play a role in that, possibly in the form of an approval, maybe, and I think they'll do that," Trump told reporters on Wednesday. "Maybe I'll give them a little reduction in tariffs or something to get it done," he added. Trump also said he expected at least the outline of a deal to be reached by the 5 April deadline. In response to the comments, a spokesman for China's foreign ministry said Beijing "has repeatedly stated its position. China's opposition to the imposition of additional tariffs has always been consistent and clear". Trump made the comments afterannouncing new import taxes of 25% on all cars and car partscoming into the US in a move that threatens to widen the global trade war. The BBC has contacted TikTok for comment. The biggest sticking point to finalising a deal to sell the TikTok business, which is worth tens of billions of dollars, has always been securing Beijing's agreement. Trump has previously tried to use tariffs as leverage in the negotiations. On his first day back in the White House, on 20 January, the president threatened more import duties on China if it did not approve a TikTok deal. The hugely popular app is used by around 170 million Americans. Trump, who called for TikTok to be banned in his first term as president, now has an account on the platform. He has more than 15 million followers and has said he received billions of views on the app during his presidential election campaign. Separately, the US increased levies on all imports from China to 20% this month. That doubled the tariffs Trump imposed on the world's second largest economy on4 February. On 10 February, China responded with its own tariffs, including a 10-15% tax on some US agricultural goods. Beijing has also targeted various US aviation, defence and tech firms by adding them to an "unreliable entity list" and imposing export controls. The 10% levy doubled to 20% on 4 March. China has urged the US to return to dialogue with Beijing as soon as possible.
China tariffs may be cut to seal TikTok sale, Trump says
TruthLens AI Suggested Headline:
"Trump Considers Tariff Reductions to Facilitate TikTok Sale Negotiations"
Bbc News
7.3
TruthLens AI Summary
US President Donald Trump has indicated that he may consider reducing tariffs on China to facilitate the sale of TikTok, a popular short video app owned by ByteDance. This statement comes as he expresses a willingness to extend the deadline for finding a non-Chinese buyer for TikTok, which is currently set for April 5. The administration's previous actions included delaying the enforcement of a law that bans TikTok, citing national security concerns. Trump stated that he anticipates reaching at least a preliminary agreement by the deadline, mentioning that China might need to approve the deal for it to proceed. A spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry reiterated Beijing's consistent stance against additional tariffs, indicating that the negotiations surrounding TikTok are complex and intertwined with broader trade relations.
In conjunction with these developments, Trump recently announced new import taxes of 25% on cars and car parts, which could escalate tensions in the ongoing trade war with China. The TikTok deal is particularly challenging due to the necessity of securing Beijing's consent, which Trump has previously attempted to leverage through tariff negotiations. Despite having called for a ban on TikTok during his first term, Trump has since embraced the platform, amassing over 15 million followers and claiming significant engagement during his campaign. Meanwhile, the US has raised tariffs on all Chinese imports to 20%, prompting retaliatory measures from China against various US sectors. The situation remains delicate, with both countries urged to resume dialogue to resolve their trade differences and address the TikTok sale effectively.
TruthLens AI Analysis
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