Look, I’m not saying that TikTok is prone to be banned within the U.S. later this month, however…

Whereas studies simply earlier than Christmas instructed {that a} TikTok U.S. deal had been signed, making certain that the app would stay in operation in America, with a neighborhood model of the platform to be bought into U.S. possession, the statements from Chinese language officers on any deal sound quite a bit much less definitive, and much more like there are issues to to be finalized earlier than any such deal would possibly go into impact.

As a fast recap, on December 18th, studies circulated that after virtually a yr of negotiations, TikTok’s administration had knowledgeable its U.S. workers {that a} deal had been signed, and that TikTok’s American operations would proceed on, after being bought to an Oracle-led consortium that will oversee its operation inside the U.S.

TikTok was technically banned within the U.S. as of January nineteenth, 2025, as a part of the Senate-approved “Defending Individuals from International Adversary Managed Purposes Act.” However upon his inauguration as President on January twentieth, President Trump issued an Government Order to withhold enforcement of the invoice, so as to give his crew a possibility to probably re-negotiate the small print.

Trump has since issued 4 additional Government Orders to pause the act, and in September, Trump and his crew held a information convention to announce that that they had “saved” TikTok within the U.S., by presenting a viable provide to Chinese language officers to safe the sell-off of the platform’s native operations.

However Chinese language officers stated nothing, and in December, it nonetheless appeared like no deal was pending, regardless of the White Home’s assurances.

However then, as famous, simply earlier than Christmas, there was seemingly a breakthrough, with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew sending an e-mail to workers notifying them of the deal, which is able to come into impact on January twenty second, 2026, a day earlier than the expiry of President Trump’s fourth Government Order to withhold enforcement of the invoice.

So, all good, proper? TikTok negotiates a sell-off to a U.S. entity, assembly the necessities of the act, and TikTok stay in operation for its thousands and thousands of American customers.

Nicely…

Chinese language state media issued an announcement on the reported deal on December twenty fifth, which sounds quite a bit much less assured than earlier studies.

As reported by China Every day:

“The Chinese language authorities hopes that related events can attain an answer concerning TikTok that complies with Chinese language legal guidelines and rules and achieves a steadiness of pursuits.”

So, not precisely a carried out deal then.

“To implement the necessary consensus reached throughout the telephone name between the heads of state of China and the US, the financial and commerce groups of each side beforehand reached a fundamental framework consensus on correctly resolving points corresponding to TikTok by way of cooperation, based mostly on mutual respect and equal session, the [Chinese government] spokesperson stated.”

The spokesperson additional “expressed hope” that the U.S. negotiators will “earnestly fulfill” their commitments, as expressed of their negotiations.

“The spokesperson additionally urged the U.S. to offer a good, open, clear, and non-discriminatory enterprise atmosphere for the continual and steady operation of Chinese language enterprises in the US, in order to advertise the steady, wholesome, and sustainable improvement of China-U.S. financial and commerce relations.”

So, it sounds just like the Chinese language authorities continues to be not comfortable about being compelled to dump a Chinese language enterprise on the discretion of the U.S. authorities, and is looking for extra assurances that this received’t occur once more.

Which may imply {that a} TikTok deal goes forward, nevertheless TikTok proprietor ByteDance hasn’t issued any official assertion, and the notes from the Chinese language authorities above sound like they’re nonetheless weighing the small print, and looking for additional assurances, earlier than giving the go-ahead.

So, whereas it had appeared like we had reached the top of the long-running TikTok-U.S. saga, which has actually being occurring since Trump issued an preliminary Government Order to ban TikTok again in 2020 (partly in retaliation for the unfold of COVID), we should still see yet one more extension, or perhaps a ban of the app, when it’s newest extension is up on the twenty third of this month.

I’m not saying that’s going to occur, however studying the official statements, I’d be much less assured in regards to the deal going by way of than others.