BUSINESS

China, U.S. to Meet in Spain Over TikTok, Trade Disputes

Published: Sep. 13, 2025 2:40 a.m. GMT+8

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The Trump administration has ordered TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance Ltd., to sell its U.S. business by Sept. 17 or face a nationwide ban

Top Chinese and U.S. officials are slated to meet in Spain this weekend to address a growing list of trade and technology disputes, including the fate of TikTok, the video-sharing platform facing a potential ban in the United States.

China’s Ministry of Commerce said Friday that Vice Premier He Lifeng will travel to Madrid to lead the Chinese delegation in meetings with a U.S. team led by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent from Sept. 14 to 17. The agenda includes discussions on tariffs, export controls and the forced divestment of TikTok’s U.S. operations.

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Top Chinese and U.S. officials will meet in Madrid from Sept. 14-17 to discuss trade, technology disputes, and TikTok’s potential U.S. ban.
The Trump administration ordered ByteDance to divest TikTok’s U.S. operations by Sept. 17 or face a ban, citing national security, but any sale requires Chinese government approval.
China urges fair treatment for its firms, while ByteDance and TikTok deny reports of a pending sale and insist on regulatory compliance.

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Who’s Who

TikTok: TikTok is a video-sharing platform facing a potential ban in the U.S. due to national security concerns raised by the Trump administration. Its parent company, ByteDance Ltd., has been ordered to sell its U.S. operations by September 17. China's government approval is required for any divestment, as TikTok's core technology is on its export-control list.

ByteDance Ltd.: ByteDance Ltd., a Chinese company, is the parent company of the video-sharing platform TikTok. It faces a deadline set by the Trump administration to sell its U.S. operations by September 17 or face a nationwide ban due to national security concerns. Any divestment would require approval from the Chinese government because its core technology is on China's export-control list. ByteDance has denied reports of a pending deal.

Oracle: ByteDance denied media reports suggesting it had reached a deal with Oracle. The context does not provide further information about Oracle, other than its alleged interest in acquiring TikTok.

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What Happened When

July 2025：: TikTok’s U.S. website labeled speculation about a deal as inaccurate, and ByteDance denied reports suggesting a deal with Oracle.

August 22, 2025：: U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the U.S. government was still evaluating national security concerns over TikTok and noted substantial American buyers' interest; he has also signed three executive orders delaying the potential ban deadline.

September 12, 2025：: China’s Ministry of Commerce announced that Vice Premier He Lifeng would travel to Madrid for meetings with the U.S. delegation.

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