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TMTPOST -- China at the weekend expressed its supportive stance on TikTok after a phone between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump discussed fate of the popular short video application.
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China has made clear that the Chinese government respects the will of enterprises, a spokesperson with the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) stressed China』s position on the TikTok issue on Saturday, when asked about further details on progress made after a round of high-level talks between two countries a week ago and a Xi-Trump phone call Friday.
The spokesperson highlighted that China welcomes companies to conduct business negotiations in line with market rules to reach solutions that comply with Chinese laws and regulations and balance interests of all parties,according to state news agency Xinhua.
China hopes the U.S. will move in the same direction and fully honor its commitments, provide an open, fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies, including TikTok, to continue operating in the United States, and promote stable, healthy and sustainable development of China-U.S. economic and trade relations, said the spokesperson.
China last Monday confirmed senior Chinese officials and their U.S. counterparts have clinched a framework agreement on the TikTok issue through their trade talks in Spain from September 14 to 15.
During a two-day meeting with U.S. officials in Madrid, China and U.S. engaged in candid and in-depth discussions on TikTok and the relevant concerns of the Chinese side, and the two sides reached a basic framework consensus on resolving issues related to TikTok through cooperation, reducing investment barriers and promoting relevant economic and trade cooperation, said Li Chenggang, China international trade representative with the MOFCOM) and vice minister of commerce, Xinhua reported.
While neither Beijing nor Washington disclosed the exact timetable of a TikTok deal after Xi and Trump』s call on Friday, Trump that day touted 「a very productive call」 which led to progross on many issues including the highly anticipated TikTok deal.
「I just completed a very productive call with President Xi of China. We made progress on many very important issues including Trade, Fentanyl, the need to bring the War between Russia and Ukraine to an end, and the approval of the TikTok Deal,」 Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social on Friday.
During the phone call, Xi told Trump the U.S. side should avoid taking unilateral trade restrictions to prevent undermining the achievements made by both sides through multiple rounds of consultations, Xinhua reported.
Xi stressed China's position on the TikTok issue: the Chinese government respects the wishes of the company in question and is glad to see business negotiations in line with market rules and a solution that conforms to Chinese laws and regulations and takes into account the interests of both sides. Xi called on the U.S. side to provide an open, fair and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises to invest in the country.
The U.S. hopes to maintain a long-term, big and great relationship with China, and also hopes to promote bilateral economic and trade cooperation, and keep supporting consultations between teams from both sides to properly resolve the TikTok issue, Xinhua cited Trump in the call.
