U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent left room for negotiation on TikTok's operational future in the United States during a press briefing Thursday, telling a CGTN reporter: "We will see. It will depend largely on how the talks go today."
The remarks come as Washington faces mounting pressure from businesses and investors to clarify its stance on the popular video-sharing app, owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance. A forced divestment deadline imposed in 2023 has already been extended twice, with analysts warning abrupt bans could disrupt $15 billion in U.S. digital advertising revenue.
"This isn't just about data security concerns – it's become a litmus test for how tech policy intersects with U.S.-China economic relations," said Dr. Lin Wei, a digital economy researcher at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University. Recent app store bans of TikTok in other countries have shown mixed results, with many users switching to VPNs to maintain access.
Market watchers note the Biden administration faces competing pressures: addressing national security hawks while preserving stability for the 7 million U.S. businesses using TikTok for marketing. The platform's 150 million American users continue creating content despite the uncertainty, with #TikTokCountdown gaining 2.8 million views this week.
Next steps remain unclear, but Bessent's noncommittal response suggests room for negotiation. The Treasury Department will need to balance economic impacts with geopolitical considerations as Saturday's deadline approaches.
