Thu, 18 Sep 2025

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 China is calling a TikTok deal a win. What's in it for them?

Experts tell the BBC what a final deal might look like, and what Beijing might get in return.

* A deal on TikTok's US operations may be close, with a framework agreement reached between top officials from the US and China.
* If agreed, the deal would see TikTok sold to a group of American firms, including Oracle and investment companies Andreessen Horowitz and Silver Lake.
* The US operations could be run on a "stripped-down" version of the app's software, which would still use TikTok's algorithm but with limitations.
* Beijing may allow ByteDance to license its intellectual property, including the algorithm, to a US company owner, without transferring it outright.
* A sale must satisfy US lawmakers and allay concerns over national security and data access.
* Congress is likely to need to approve any agreement, which has already sparked political backlash in Washington.
* China's government may gain from the deal by exporting its technology on its own terms, potentially giving them leverage in trade negotiations with Washington.
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