China and U.S. say they’ve reached a ‘framework’ deal on TikTok’s ownership : NPR
Chinese and American officials say they agreed to cope with the thorny question of Tiktok’s property. The leaders of the two countries are expected to talk about it on Friday.
A Martínez, host:
The United States and China have not agreed in recent times, but it can be on the verge of an agreement to prevent Tiktok from becoming dark in America. Chinese and American officials say they agreed to cope with the question of who owns the application. And President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to talk about it on Friday. John Ruwitch of NPR explains what is at stake.
John Ruwitch, reported: the Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent spoke with journalists after two days of talks with Chinese officials in Spain.
(Soundbit of archived registration)
Scott Bessent: The framework consists in going to the owned property by the United States. But again, I will not get ahead of the leaders call on Friday. We have a framework. They will have to confirm the agreement.
Ruwitch: if they can, it could mean the end of the long -standing saga on the fate of the extremely popular short video application. Ryan Calo, professor at the Faculty of Law of the University of Washington, says that it could also mean something else.
Ryan Calo: I think that if Tiktok is authorized to stay and that the Americans can continue to use Tiktok, I think it is a victory for freedom of expression.
Ruwitch: A law adopted last year with bipartite support ordered Tiktok’s ban in the United States if his Chinese parent company, Bytedance, does not abandon control. Congress considered the platform as a national security threat, potentially giving Beijing access to data for Americans and a means of influencing them. The law entered into force in January, but President Trump published decrees three times to delay his application. This has maintained Tiktok alive, but Calo says that a legal line has been drawn, undermining the rule of law and putting the American companies who do business with Tiktok in danger to violate the ban on congress.
Calo: These alarm ringtones will not be unrelated, but I think that if you use Tiktok, or if you support it or make an agreement there, or if you work there, then you will push a sigh of relief after the announcement of this agreement.
Ruwitch: Depending on the details, security legislators and analysts can also sigh a relief.
John Ruwitch, NPR News.
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