TikTok Photo: VCG

China hopes the US will earnestly listen to the voice of reason and provide an open,mk fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment for market entities from all countries, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular press conference on Monday in response to media questions on TikTok restoring service in the US as well as the proposed deal by Donald Trump that will see the US have 50 percent ownership in a joint venture.

TikTok has operated in the US for years and been very popular with American users, the spokesperson said, adding that it has played a positive role in boosting US employment and consumption.

Speaking at a rally on Sunday ahead of his inauguration, Trump said, "We have to save it [TikTok]," adding that the US will seek a joint venture to restore the short-video sharing app used by 170 million Americans, Reuters reported.

When it comes to actions such as the operation and acquisition of businesses, Mao said that "we believe they should be independently decided by companies in accordance with market principles. If it involves Chinese companies, China's laws and regulations should be observed."

TikTok announced it is restoring services Sunday (US time), just hours after Trump said he would sign an executive order on his first day in office to "extend the period of time before the law's prohibitions takes effect." Trump also pledged that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before his order. 

"In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service. We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive," read a statement TikTok posted on social media platform X. 

"It's a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship. We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States," per the statement.

The news of the popular social media platform's service resumption prompted cheers, with many users expressing their excitement at being able to use the app again after about 12 hours of shutdown.

"TikTok has become an important social platform for many people in the US and is also part of a broader business ecosystem for many American companies," Zhou Mi, a senior research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told the Global Times on Monday, noting that for many American users, TikTok isn't just one of many options — it provides unique services and emotional value that other platforms may not offer.

"It has made significant efforts to respond to user innovations and meet special needs, which sets it apart," Zhou said.

Zhou also noted that for the Biden administration, "this reflects that its previous policies against the Chinese app may not align with public interest and sentiment. This could explain why many people have expressed support for TikTok online and opposed Biden's unilateral approach."

However, some users also expressed concerns over how long this resumption will last, given the lingering uncertainties surrounding TikTok's future. One American user named Author Tracey Vanessa King said, "But for how long?" among all the positive "welcome back" posts.

Although TikTok is resuming its services in the US following Trump's remarks, the app remains unavailable for download on Apple and Google app stores in the country as of press time.

TikTok serves as a hub for a diverse array of individuals and businesses across the US, contributing to a vibrant online community. According to a report published by the economics consultancy Oxford Economics, small and midsize businesses (SMBs) that leverage TikTok's capabilities effectively have the opportunity to realize growth, stimulating economic activity within businesses and their supply chains and through employees' spending in the wider economy.

"SMB activity on TikTok contributed $24.2 billion to GDP in the US in 2023, while supporting 224,000 jobs," the report said.

"The resumption of TikTok is undoubtedly good news for many American users in many fields. However, although it has resumed, there is still no long-term solution in sight, partly due to the influence of certain politically driven forces within Congress that continue to support a ban," Li Yong, a senior research fellow at the China Association of International Trade, told the Global Times on Monday.

Meanwhile, many American users who called themselves "TikTok refugees" have been actively putting up posts on the Chinese lifestyle social media app Xiaohongshu several days ahead of the US ban on January 19. Many users expressed how much Xiaohongshu appealed to them and stated that they are not going back.

An American user named TC Townsend wrote on Xiaohongshu, "I found a new home, and I love it... Whatever happens, I ain't coming back."

Data security responses

In a separate response to a question from a foreign report on the remarks made by Elon Musk questioning whether one "should allow a platform like TikTok to operate that had the potential to harvest American data as well as control the type of content it would broadcast in the US," the foreign ministry spokesperson responded that "we believe that internet companies need to observe local laws and regulations." 

As for the Chinese government, we attach great importance to data privacy and security and protect it in accordance with the law, Mao said. 

The Chinese government has never asked and will never ask any company or individual to collect or provide data located abroad against local laws, the spokesperson noted.

Also, when asked by another foreign media reporter about China's response to Elon Musk's remarks on Sunday on X claiming that "it was unbalanced to allow TikTok to operate in the US and not allow his social media platform X to operate in China," noting that it's "something needs to change," Mao said on Monday that the Chinese government manages the Internet in accordance with law. We welcome Internet companies across the world to operate in China as long as they abide by China's laws and regulations and provide safe and reliable products and services.