Senior U.S. and Chinese officials resumed trade negotiations in Spain on Monday, just days before a deadline that could determine the future of TikTok in the United States. The discussions, led by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, mark the latest effort to ease tensions in a years-long trade dispute between the world’s two largest economies.
The talks follow a July meeting in which Washington and Beijing agreed to extend a truce on tariffs by 90 days, pushing the deadline to November 10. Both sides are under pressure to reach a broader settlement as businesses, consumers, and markets brace for potential fallout if the trade war escalates.
At the center of attention is the Chinese-owned video-sharing app TikTok, which faces a ban in the U.S. unless its parent company, ByteDance, finds a buyer. The White House has already delayed enforcement three times. With the current deadline set to expire on Wednesday, speculation is mounting that President Donald Trump will once again extend the grace period.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Trump struck an ambiguous tone. “We may let [TikTok] die. Or we may… I don’t know. It depends. Up to China, it doesn’t matter too much,” he said.
Trump’s comments mark a stark shift from his earlier position. During his first term, he repeatedly called for TikTok’s ban over alleged national security and data privacy risks. But the president softened his stance after gaining traction on the app during the 2024 campaign. In August, the White House even launched its own official TikTok account, signaling a new willingness to engage with the platform’s 170 million U.S. users.
Last month, Trump dismissed security concerns as “highly overrated,” suggesting he would keep extending the deadline until a buyer emerges. The uncertainty has fueled speculation among investors and heightened pressure on ByteDance, which continues to face scrutiny from regulators on both sides of the Pacific.
Beyond TikTok, the U.S.-China talks are expected to tackle broader trade grievances, including what Washington calls “unfair trade practices” and Beijing’s concerns over restrictions on technology exports. Officials are also reportedly preparing groundwork for a potential meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping next month in South Korea, where both leaders are scheduled to attend an international summit.
The tariff truce has temporarily eased tensions, reducing import taxes that at one point exceeded 100% on certain goods. But without a durable settlement, analysts warn that the fragile calm could quickly unravel, reigniting a trade conflict that has weighed on global markets for years.
For now, businesses, consumers, and TikTok’s massive U.S. user base remain in limbo, awaiting clarity from Washington and Beijing as the clock ticks toward Wednesday’s deadline.
