TikTok’s new owners, eyes on Greenland, US farmers’ plight: 7 US-China relations reads
From a Canada-China trade deal to global defence, here are highlights from our overseas correspondents in the second half of January 2026
1. Trump sells tariffs as farmers’ win in Iowa, but many aren’t buying it
In January, US President Donald Trump said farmers were “going to be the biggest beneficiary” of his tariff policy, even if it was “going to take a little while to kick in”. But many remained anxious that they could once again be caught in the crossfire, as tensions between Washington and Beijing threatened to escalate anew.
2. Who are the owners of the new TikTok US entity?
TikTok and its Chinese parent ByteDance announced the official creation of a new US venture to operate the short video app, which is used by 200 million Americans. Without the deal, which gives non-Chinese investors 80 per cent of the venture, TikTok would have faced a nationwide ban.
3. US and Canada drift apart on China as Ottawa rethinks Beijing ties
The US and Canada will move farther apart on China policy, even in areas where they were previously aligned, analysts said after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a multifaceted trade deal with Beijing.