U.S. President Donald Trump has indicated that he may consider lowering tariffs on China if the Chinese government approves the sale of TikTok’s U.S. operations.
ByteDance, TikTok’s China-based parent company, has until April 5 to find a non-Chinese buyer or face a U.S. ban due to national security concerns outlined in a 2024 law. The legislation was driven by fears in Washington that TikTok’s ownership structure could allow the Chinese government to influence American users and collect data on them.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Trump acknowledged that China would need to be involved in any divestiture process. He also suggested he might extend the April deadline if a deal was not finalized in time.
“Maybe I’ll give them a little reduction in tariffs or something to get it done,” Trump said. “TikTok is big, but every point in tariffs is worth more than TikTok.”
His remarks come just weeks before ByteDance must comply with the U.S. mandate to sell TikTok or risk a ban. However, Vice President JD Vance recently expressed optimism that a deal would be reached before the deadline, though he did not disclose potential buyers.
Meanwhile, China’s commerce ministry reaffirmed its consistent stance on tariffs, stating that Beijing remains open to discussions with Washington based on mutual respect, equality, and shared benefits.
