For fear of China’s propaganda and data collection, the US government took the unprecedented step of barring 170m of its residents from using an app they loved and which provided a livelihood to some.
But in China, where TikTok’s parent company is based, the reception has been less positive, largely because Trump has suggested he could require the company to give up a 50% stake to avert a shutdown and suggested tariffs on Chinese goods could hinge on whether Beijing approves a potential future deal.
The order came amid growing doubts on the future of the app that went dark on Saturday, shortly before a law that cited national security to say the Chinese owner ByteDance should sell it or face a ban in the US came into effect on Sunday.
Although TikTok resumed service after Trump's assurances that the company and its partners would not face hefty fines to keep the app running, it was yet to return to the app stores.
