TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew has publicly thanked President-elect Donald Trump for pledging to help keep the platform operating in the United States, following a crucial phone call between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The statement comes after the Supreme Court upheld legislation that would ban TikTok in the US starting January 19th. The Biden administration has declined to enforce the ban, deferring that responsibility to the incoming Trump administration, which takes office on January 20th.

Photo Credit: Xi Jinping, President of China, for the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office / CC by 2.0

In a TikTok video, Chew praised Trump's support, stating: "I want to thank President Trump for his commitment to work with us to find a solution that keeps TikTok available in the United States. This is a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship."

Trump confirmed the conversation with President Xi on Truth Social, describing it as "very good" for both nations. The discussion covered several key topics, including trade, fentanyl, and TikTok's future in the US.

The US-China relationship is expected to be a major focus during Trump's second term. During his campaign, Trump proposed increasing tariffs on Chinese goods by up to 60%, with an additional 10% increase over concerns about fentanyl trafficking.

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng will attend Trump's inauguration ceremony, marking an unprecedented diplomatic event, as no foreign head of state has ever attended a US presidential inauguration. TikTok CEO Chew is also expected to attend alongside other tech industry leaders, including Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg.

Related Articles

Previous Articles