U.S. says TikTok ban will proceed unless China drops tariff demands

The U.S. will go ahead with a ban on short-video app TikTok if China won’t drop demands for reducing tariffs and technological restrictions as part of a divestiture deal, a senior U.S. official with knowledge of negotiations said on Monday.

U.S. and China delegations are discussing the divestment from TikTok by Chinese owner Bytedance as part of a round of broader talks on tariffs and economic policy taking place in Madrid. TikTok faces being shut down as early as Sept. 17 in the U.S. unless it moves to U.S. ownership.

The Chinese delegation came to the Madrid talks with a fundamental misunderstanding of the U.S. position on TikTok, the official, who asked not to be named, said.

Speaking to reporters earlier before Monday’s talks began, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Tra