US President Donald Trump is expected to speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday in a call that could determine the future of video-sharing platform TikTok while also addressing ongoing trade disputes between the world’s two largest economies.
Trump confirmed the upcoming conversation during an interview with Fox News on Thursday, saying it would cover “TikTok, and also trade.” He added, “We’re very close to deals on all of it. And my relationship with China is very good.”
The call will be the second direct exchange between Trump and Xi since Trump’s return to the White House in January, and the third since the start of 2025. In June, Trump said Xi had invited him to visit China, while he extended a reciprocal invitation for the Chinese leader to visit Washington. Although no travel plans have been finalized, analysts expect Xi to repeat the offer, knowing Trump’s affinity for high-profile diplomatic receptions.
TikTok Debate
A key focus of the call will be TikTok, the popular video platform owned by Beijing-based ByteDance. Trump has repeatedly threatened to ban the app on national security grounds unless its US operations are sold to American investors. He told reporters on Thursday that he hoped to “finalize something on TikTok,” adding that the restructured business would be “owned by all American investors, and very rich people and companies.”
Trump has credited TikTok with helping him connect with younger voters during the 2024 presidential race, and he recently postponed implementing a ban initially pursued under former President Joe Biden. Reports in The Wall Street Journal suggested a potential consortium could emerge to control TikTok, possibly involving Oracle alongside investment firms Silver Lake and Andreessen Horowitz.
Trade Talks
The conversation will also address trade tariffs, which remain a major source of tension. Earlier this year, Washington and Beijing imposed steep duties on each other’s goods in a dispute that disrupted global supply chains. The two sides later agreed to reduce tariffs, with the deal set to expire in November. Currently, US duties on Chinese imports stand at 30 percent, while China applies a 10 percent tariff on American products.
Analysts believe both Trump and Xi will seek to portray themselves as gaining the upper hand. “Each leader will aim to signal that he has outmaneuvered the other,” said Ali Wyne, a senior fellow at the International Crisis Group.
Geopolitical Backdrop
The phone call comes shortly after Xi hosted a summit in Beijing with the leaders of Russia and India, while also inviting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to attend a military parade. Trump, in a post on Truth Social, accused Xi of “conspiring” with Moscow and Pyongyang against the United States.
Despite the sharp rhetoric, Trump has insisted that progress is within reach. “We’re very close to deals,” he said, while signaling that Friday’s discussion could be decisive on both TikTok and tariffs.
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