U.S. President Donald Trump has indicated he may reduce tariffs on China to facilitate the sale of TikTok by its Chinese owner, ByteDance.
Trump also expressed willingness to extend the April 5 deadline for securing a non-Chinese buyer for the platform. In January, he postponed the enforcement of a law, originally passed under the Biden administration, that mandates either the sale of TikTok or a ban on national security grounds.
“Regarding TikTok, China will have to be involved in some way, possibly through an approval process, and I believe they will cooperate,” Trump told reporters on Wednesday.
“Maybe I’ll offer them a slight tariff reduction to get it done,” he added.
He further stated that he anticipates at least a preliminary deal to be in place by the deadline.
#1China Responds to Trump’s Tariff Comments as TikTok Sale Faces Hurdles
A spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry reaffirmed Beijing’s stance, stating, "China has repeatedly made its position clear. Our opposition to additional tariffs has always been consistent and firm."
Trump’s remarks came after his administration imposed new 25% tariffs on all imported cars and car parts, escalating trade tensions.
The BBC has reached out to TikTok for comment.
One of the biggest obstacles to finalizing a TikTok sale—valued at tens of billions of dollars—remains securing approval from Beijing. Trump has previously used tariffs as a bargaining tool in negotiations.
On his first day back in office on January 20, he threatened further import duties on China if it did not approve a TikTok deal.
Despite once advocating for a ban on TikTok during his first term, Trump now has an account on the platform, which boasts around 170 million American users.
#2Trade Tensions Rise as TikTok Sale Stalls
Trump, who has amassed over 15 million followers on TikTok, claims his content has received billions of views during his presidential campaign.
Meanwhile, the U.S. raised tariffs on all Chinese imports to 20% this month, doubling the rates Trump initially imposed on February 4. In response, China introduced its own countermeasures on February 10, including a 10-15% tariff on certain U.S. agricultural products.
Beijing has also expanded its economic retaliation by blacklisting American aviation, defense, and tech firms under its "unreliable entity list" while tightening export controls. On March 4, China doubled its 10% levy to 20%.
China continues to urge Washington to return to negotiations, calling for renewed dialogue to ease escalating tensions.
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