Home
Apps
Apps News
Is the TikTok War Over? US and China Reportedly Find a Path Forward

Is the TikTok War Over? US and China Reportedly Find a Path Forward

Officials from China and the US have reportedly confirmed that the two sides have reached a deal over TikTok ownership.

Written by Akash Dutta, Edited by Ketan Pratap | Updated: 17 September 2025 13:43 IST

Is the TikTok War Over? US and China Reportedly Find a Path Forward

Photo Credit: Reuters

US President Donald Trump had previously given ByteDance an extension to September 17 to divest TikTok

Add Gadgets360 As A Trusted Source

Highlights

Both countries have reportedly agreed to switch TikTok to US control
Even with the ownership transfer, China might keep TikTok’s algorithm
Donald Trump and Xi Jinping are said to confirm details on Friday

TikTok's fate in the US may soon be decided. On Friday, officials representing both China and the US reportedly confirmed that the two countries have reached an agreement to switch the ByteDance-owned short-video platform to US-controlled ownership. While details of the agreement have not been made public as of now, as per the report, China wants to keep hold of the “Chinese characteristics” of the app despite the divestment. The information comes as the Trump administration's deadline extension for the divestment comes to an end.

TikTok to Reportedly Be Shifted to US-Controlled Ownership

According to Reuters, the US and China have reached an agreement to divest TikTok under US ownership. Citing unnamed officials representing both countries, the report claimed that a “framework agreement” has been reached around the short-video platform. The agreement reportedly came after months of discussions between the two sides.

The mention of “framework agreement” is interesting here. The report claims that even if China allows TikTok to be controlled by the US, it is not willing to let go of the framework or the algorithm behind the app. For the layman, the algorithm powers the platform's recommendation engine, discover feed, and the videos that appear on the For You page.

No, TikTok Is Not Coming Back to India

Scott Bessent, the US Treasury Secretary, reportedly held a meeting with Chinese negotiators in Madrid recently. After the meeting, he told the publication that the current deadline of September 17, which has reached the point of expiry, could be further extended by 90 days to provide both sides the time to finalise the deal. Bessent reportedly highlighted that the divestment will not compromise the cultural aspects of TikTok, which the Chinese representatives were concerned about.

"They're interested in Chinese characteristics of the app, which they think are soft power. We don't care about Chinese characteristics. We care about national security," Bessent was quoted as saying.

Notably, TikTok currently has more than 170 million US user profiles, all of which will be switched to the US-controlled ownership if the deal goes through. The divestment will also ensure that user data from these users is stored on servers located and controlled within the US. The US President Donald Trump and the Chinese President Xi Jinping have held discussions for months to find a resolution. Another call between the two is expected on Friday.

Comments

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.

Further reading: TikTok, US, China, Apps, Social

Akash Dutta Email Akash Dutta

Akash Dutta is a Chief Sub Editor at Gadgets 360. He is particularly interested in the social impact of technological developments and loves reading about emerging fields such as AI, metaverse, and fediverse. In his free time, he can be seen supporting his favourite football club - Chelsea, watching movies and anime, and sharing passionate opinions on food. More