WASHINGTON, April 7 — US President Donald Trump claimed yesterday that China would have agreed to a TikTok sale deal if not for the new tariffs imposed by Washington last week.
WASHINGTON, April 7 — US President Donald Trump claimed yesterday that China would have agreed to a TikTok sale deal if not for the new tariffs imposed by Washington last week.
On Friday, Trump extended TikTok’s deadline to secure a non-Chinese buyer by 75 days, postponing a potential US ban—just one day after announcing an additional 34 percent tariff on all Chinese imports.
“We were very close to finalising a deal for TikTok, not officially done but almost there. Then China backed off because of the tariffs,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. “If I eased up on tariffs just a bit, they’d approve the deal in 15 minutes. That shows you the power of tariffs.”
The video-sharing app, with over 170 million users in the US, is facing pressure from a law passed last year that mandates TikTok sever ties with its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, or face a nationwide ban.
Trump said his administration was nearing an agreement involving multiple investors to keep TikTok operating in the US, though he shared few specifics.
ByteDance confirmed it was in discussions with the US government but noted that “key issues” still needed to be resolved. The company also emphasized that no agreement had been finalized and any deal would remain “subject to approval under Chinese law.” — AFP
KUALA LUMPUR, April 15 — As negotiations continue between Petronas and Sarawak’s state-owned Petros over a new gas governance deal, experts warn of significant implications for Malaysia’s energy sector and national economy.
