Trump hails "productive" call with Xi, signals approval of TikTok deal

Donald Trump and Xi Jinping in Beijing, China, November 9, 2017.
Reuters

President Donald Trump described his recent phone conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping as "very productive," noting progress on several key issues, including trade, fentanyl, and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

The U.S. president also seemed to indicate Beijing's approval of the deal allowing American firms to acquire TikTok’s U.S. operations.

Trump shared his thoughts on the call via his social media platform, stating, “We made progress on many very important issues including Trade, Fentanyl, the need to bring the War between Russia and Ukraine to an end, and the approval of the TikTok Deal." He added that the two leaders would speak again soon, expressing gratitude for the TikTok approval, and both looked forward to meeting at the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea on October 31.

Although Trump had previously postponed the potential TikTok ban three times, the talks surrounding the sale of the platform to U.S. companies remain significant. Trump has yet to confirm the names of the American companies set to take over the platform.

Xi, while addressing the TikTok issue, remained non-committal about confirming a deal. He emphasized that China was “clear” on the matter, stating that the government respected the wishes of ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company. Xi stressed that business negotiations should align with market rules and Chinese regulations to balance interests.

On the broader trade front, Xi urged the U.S. to refrain from imposing unilateral trade measures against China. He reminded Trump of the historical support China received from the U.S. during World War II and expressed optimism that both nations could achieve "mutual success and shared prosperity."

The call between the two leaders marks an important step in the ongoing negotiations concerning TikTok’s future in the U.S. amid national security concerns. However, the final details of the deal have yet to be fully disclosed.

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