The US has extended the deadline for TikTok to divest or be shut down on several occasions, with the grace period now running until Dec 16. The Sep 25 executive order stated the US Attorney General would not take any action regarding the app over the subsequent 120 days.<\/p>\n
At stake are about 170 million American TikTok users, some of whom have voiced concerns about the impact a restriction of the app would have on free speech and the platform\u2019s role in shaping social issues.<\/p>\n
China\u2019s current position is \u201chard to assess\u201d because the fine print has not been publicised, said Alfredo Montufar-Helu, managing director at advisory firm GreenPoint.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe exact terms and conditions reflected in whatever agreement is reached on TikTok are not known, and so it\u2019s uncertain if the deal is in jeopardy,\u201d said Beijing-based lawyer James Zimmerman.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut given the current state of relations, everything is on the table and nothing is immune to being retracted, altered or otherwise taken back.\u201d<\/p>\n
Beijing and Washington held \u201cworking-level talks\u201d on Monday despite the recent spike in tensions, according to China\u2019s Ministry of Commerce, with communication continuing under a framework built during trade negotiations earlier this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cSofter language\u201d from the two powers should reduce any threat to the TikTok accord, Montufar-Helu said, adding this \u201csignals they really want to avoid escalating to a point of no return\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course (the TikTok deal) is more fragile than before, but in terms of probabilities, I think it is more likely than not that the deal will go on. I don\u2019t think it\u2019s going to fall through,\u201d Montufar-Helu said.<\/p>\n