Donald Trump and Xi Jinping to Discuss TikTok and Trade Relations in Phone Call on September 19
On a pivotal day in international affairs, September 19, the global community will be paying close attention as the leaders of the United States and China engage in a crucial phone conversation that could shape the future of their bilateral relations.
U.S.
President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are scheduled to speak for several hours, discussing a range of sensitive issues that are at the forefront of global geopolitical and economic politics.
The top topics include the potential agreement concerning TikTok, the widely popular social media app, and broader trade disputes that have heightened tensions between the world’s two largest economies.
This marks the first direct communication between Trump and Xi since June and holds significant implications for diplomatic and economic pathways.According to sources, the call is set for 11:00 AM Washington time and 9:00 PM Beijing time, considering the timezone difference.
The central point of discussion will be a tentative framework to transfer control of TikTok’s U.S.
operations from Chinese company ByteDance to an American investor consortium.
This move aims to address growing security concerns and disputes over technology and data privacy, amidst an intense rivalry in the digital economy.In addition to this, the leaders are expected to deliberate on trade policies, including the potential easing of export restrictions on advanced AI chips, particularly those manufactured by Nvidia, which seeks to expand its presence in China.
Meanwhile, Chinese authorities are applying pressure on local companies to opt out of U.S.
technology, as part of a broader strategy to counteract American influence.Furthermore, analysts suggest that this phone call could lay the groundwork for a subsequent face-to-face meeting, which would be the first since Trump’s return to the White House.
During these talks, economic and political issues will be discussed, including possible military and commercial deals, like aircraft orders from Boeing, as well as wider geopolitics—covering the war in Ukraine, conflicts in the Middle East, and escalating tensions in the South China Sea.Interestingly, just a day before the call, on September 18, Trump voiced to Fox News that if Europe imposed sanctions on Russia for its oil purchases from Moscow, it would pressure China to increase its efforts to push Russia to end the conflict in Ukraine.
This statement underscores the complex diplomatic dance between the major powers, as they navigate through crises and seek strategic solutions to global instability.