Trump and Xi discuss TikTok's future and trade relations in phone call

Beijing: US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a telephone conversation on Friday, as both leaders moved to address tensions surrounding trade and the future of the popular video-sharing app TikTok.

According to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV and the Xinhua news agency, the call began at approximately 8 a.m. Washington time. A White House official confirmed the timing, although the administration did not immediately provide details of the discussion. Chinese media also refrained from disclosing specific content from the conversation.

The phone call marked the second time Trump and Xi have spoken since Trump commenced his second term in January. A major focus of the discussion was a potential agreement that would allow TikTok to continue operating in the United States. The app, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, faces a looming ban under US legislation unless its American assets are sold.  Trump had extended a deadline several times for the app to be spun off from its Chinese parent company.

Earlier this week, US and Chinese negotiators had reached a tentative framework deal regarding TikTok, but final approval from Beijing remained a critical hurdle. The outcome of the call was expected to determine whether that agreement would move forward.

The leaders also addressed broader trade relations between the two countries, amid ongoing economic tensions. Their conversation came as the US and China explore the possibility of arranging an in-person summit, potentially during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in South Korea, scheduled from October 30 to November 1.

In June, President Trump revealed that President Xi had invited him to visit China, and that he had extended a similar invitation for Xi to visit the United States.

China and Taliban reject Trump’s proposal to reclaim Bagram Air Base

China and the Taliban on Friday dismissed Donald Trump's proposal to reclaim Afghanistan’s Bagram air base, located near the Chinese border. Beijing warned against actions that could provoke regional confrontation, while Kabul reiterated that Afghans have never accepted a foreign military presence.

The sprawling Bagram base was abandoned by US forces in 2021 during their chaotic withdrawal, ordered by then-President Joe Biden, as the Taliban seized control of Kabul.

Speaking at a joint press conference with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer during his state visit to Britain, President Trump said he was seeking to regain control of the base due to its proximity to Chinese nuclear facilities.

In response, Taliban official Zakir Jalal said the interim Afghan government "completely rejects" the proposal. In a post on X, he stated that Afghanistan and the United States should pursue economic and political ties based on mutual respect and shared interests—without any American military presence on Afghan soil.