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US-China relations
ChinaDiplomacy

China says TikTok’s continued US operation a must for trade talks progress

Ahead of latest negotiations, Beijing urges Washington to adhere to ‘open, fair, non-discriminatory’ conditions for Chinese businesses

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A law banning TikTok in the US unless it is sold by its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, is set to come into force on September 17. Photo: ZUMA Press Wire/dpa/TNS
Xinlu Liangin Beijing
TikTok’s continued operation in the United States will be a prerequisite for any progress for China when trade negotiators meet in Madrid to hold a fresh round of China-US talks.

The condition was noted in a commentary in the Communist Party mouthpiece People’s Daily on Sunday, just hours before delegates were scheduled to land in Spain.

It stressed that China was open to dialogue with the US on trade issues, but Washington must provide “open, fair, non-discriminatory conditions” for Chinese enterprises, including the Chinese-owned short-video platform.

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“If the US insists on harming the legitimate interests of Chinese companies, China will take necessary measures to firmly safeguard national interests and the legal rights of enterprises,” it said.

The talks will run for four days from Sunday and involve US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng, according to China’s Ministry of Commerce.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng meet in Geneva in May to discuss trade relations and tariffs. Photo: AFP
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng meet in Geneva in May to discuss trade relations and tariffs. Photo: AFP

The talks are expected to focus on key issues such as unilateral tariffs, export controls and the future of Chinese technology companies like TikTok.

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