China Tariffs May Be Cut To Seal Tiktok Sale, Trump Says

US President Donald Trump says he whitethorn trim tariffs connected China to thief seal a woody for short video app TikTok to beryllium sold by its proprietor ByteDance.

Trump besides said he was consenting to widen a 5 April deadline for a non-Chinese purchaser of nan level to beryllium found.

In January, he delayed nan implementation of a rule passed nether nan Biden management to prohibition TikTok.

The legislation, which was signed into rule successful 2024, cited nationalist information grounds for nan waste aliases beryllium banned order.

"With respect to TikTok, and China is going to person to play a domiciled successful that, perchance successful nan shape of an approval, maybe, and I deliberation they'll do that," Trump told reporters connected Wednesday.

"Maybe I'll springiness them a small simplification successful tariffs aliases thing to get it done," he added.

Trump besides said he expected astatine slightest nan outline of a woody to beryllium reached by nan 5 April deadline.

• What does Trump's executive bid mean for TikTok and who mightiness bargain it?

In consequence to nan comments, a spokesperson for China's overseas ministry said Beijing "has many times stated its position. China's guidance to nan imposition of further tariffs has ever been accordant and clear".

Trump made nan comments aft announcing caller import taxes of 25% connected each cars and car parts coming into nan US successful a move that threatens to widen nan world waste and acquisition war.

The BBC has contacted TikTok for comment.

The biggest sticking constituent to finalising a woody to waste nan TikTok business, which is worthy tens of billions of dollars, has ever been securing Beijing's agreement.

Trump has antecedently tried to usage tariffs arsenic leverage successful nan negotiations.

On his first time backmost successful nan White House, connected 20 January, nan president threatened much import duties connected China if it did not o.k. a TikTok deal.

The hugely celebrated app is utilized by astir 170 cardinal Americans.

Trump, who called for TikTok to beryllium banned successful his first word arsenic president, now has an relationship connected nan platform.

He has much than 15 cardinal followers and has said he received billions of views connected nan app during his statesmanlike predetermination campaign.

Separately, nan US accrued levies connected each imports from China to 20% this month.

That doubled nan tariffs Trump imposed connected nan world's 2nd largest system connected 4 February.

On 10 February, China responded pinch its ain tariffs, including a 10-15% taxation connected immoderate US cultivation goods.

Beijing has besides targeted various US aviation, defence and tech firms by adding them to an "unreliable entity list" and imposing export controls.

The 10% levy doubled to 20% connected 4 March.

China has urged nan US to return to speech pinch Beijing arsenic soon arsenic possible.