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‘TikTok came up’: Biden and Xi discuss the Chinese app sale in US during call, says White House
Biden talks to Xi about TikTok ownership, emphasising national security and data protection
President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Tuesday discussed efforts to force the sale in the US of TikTok Inc. during a wide-ranging call.
“TikTok came up today, yes,” White House spokesman John Kirby told reporters following the call, the first one-on-one conversation between the leaders since November.
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Biden reiterated to Xi his concerns about Chinese ownership of the popular video-sharing app.
“This was not about a ban of the application, but rather our interest in divestiture, so that the national security interests and the data security of the American people can be protected,” Kirby said.
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The US House passed a bill last month to ban the video-sharing app if its Chinese owner, ByteDance Ltd, does not divest its stake. Biden has said he would sign the bill. Its fate in the US Senate is unclear.
