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United States President Donald Trump said Friday that progress had been made with Chinese President Xi Jinping on several fronts, including the long-debated TikTok deal, following a phone call between the two leaders.
This was the second conversation since Trump’s return to the White House, as he seeks to manage relations with Beijing despite his past sharp criticism. Trump told reporters before the call that he hoped it would finalize a deal to shift TikTok’s ownership away from China.
After the discussion, Trump called the exchange “very productive” and highlighted progress on trade, curbing Fentanyl, efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war, and moving forward on the TikTok deal. He added on Truth Social that he would meet Xi next month on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea and planned to visit China in 2026.
Trump also revealed that Xi would visit the United States at an unspecified date and that both leaders would hold another phone call soon.
China’s cautious response
Beijing offered a firmer statement, with state broadcaster CCTV reporting that Xi reiterated China’s stance on TikTok. Xi stressed that Chinese companies must conduct business negotiations under “market rules” while complying with Chinese laws, and urged Washington to ensure a fair and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese firms operating in the US. The call was described as “frank and in-depth.”
The debate over TikTok stems from a US law passed in 2024 under Joe Biden that required TikTok’s parent company ByteDance to divest its American operations over national security concerns. Critics fear the app could expose US user data to Chinese authorities or manipulate online content.
Trump, however, has repeatedly delayed a ban on TikTok, crediting the app for helping him win the 2024 election. He noted that under the emerging deal, TikTok’s US arm would be “owned by American investors and major companies.”
Reports suggest Oracle, along with California-based investment firms Silver Lake and Andreessen Horowitz, could form part of the consortium. Oracle’s billionaire owner Larry Ellison, a Trump supporter, has been linked to the negotiations, raising questions about the president’s growing influence over media platforms.
