China has given the strongest indication yet that it is ready to get one that will keep TikTok running in the US. The country previously claimed it would block any forced app sales but said otherwise after President-elect Donald Trump said he would. on TikTok between the interests of the US and China.

“When it comes to actions such as the operation and acquisition of enterprises, we believe that they should independently decide on companies in accordance with market principles,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning. . “If it involves Chinese companies, it must follow Chinese laws and regulations.”

Mao noted that TikTok “has played a positive role in boosting employment and consumption in the US” and expressed the ministry’s hope that “the US will sincerely listen to the voice of reason and provide an open, fair, reasonable and discriminatory business environment for market entities from all countries.”

On Sunday, a law banning TikTok was enacted in the US. The video-sharing app . Users can’t download it from app stores and even people overseas with a US-based TikTok account can’t access it.

Service was restored hours later after Trump promised to sign an executive order on Monday, after his inauguration, “to extend the period of time before the restrictions go into effect, so we can make a deal.” to protect our national security. The order also confirms that there is no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order.”

According to The Wall Street Journal, TikTok and Founder Zhang Yiming has an important contact that could pave the way for at least partial US ownership of TikTok by Elon Musk. He reportedly spoke to Trump’s confidante in late 2024 after the law became more likely to work. Zhang is said to have majority control of TikTok’s parent company through voting rights but he does not currently hold an executive position at ByteDance.