As the Dispute with Washington Intensifies, Beijing May Use the App to Its Advantage Amid Trump’s Presidency
With growing hostilities between the United States and China, TikTok has emerged as a significant political pawn in the ongoing power struggle. The app, which has an impressive 170 million users in the US, now sits at the centre of a diplomatic tug-of-war, with President Donald Trump’s administration seeking to clamp down on its operations due to security concerns.
On January 20, shortly after returning to office, Trump presented a new proposal that suggested a joint US-China partnership concerning TikTok. This move, which temporarily delayed a potential US ban on the app for 75 days, may be seen as an attempt to soften the growing tension. However, it also underscores the complex geopolitical battle between Washington and Beijing, as the app becomes an increasingly potent symbol of the broader standoff.
In the face of intense pressure, China has thus far resisted calls to relinquish control of TikTok, and in doing so, might be positioning the app as a bargaining chip. By not agreeing to sell or make significant concessions on the platform’s future, Beijing signals its defiance against what it perceives as US coercion. In this way, TikTok could serve not just as a social media platform, but as a tool for China to assert its stance in the fraught relationship with the United States.
