Fourth Extension of TikTok Regulation Law
President Trump issued an executive order on September 16, 2025, extending the enforcement of the regulation law for the Chinese video-sharing app "TikTok" by 90 days until December 16. This marks the fourth extension since the original enforcement date of January 2025, revealing the continued postponement of the regulation law's implementation.
The TikTok regulation law was enacted in April 2024, requiring Chinese company ByteDance to sell TikTok's US operations to an American company or properly divest, failing which the app would be banned. This decision came as the previous extension deadline of September 17 approached.
TikTok Negotiations in 4th US-China Trade Talks
Prior to the extension decision, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer conducted trade talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng (member of the CCP Central Political Bureau) and others in Madrid, Spain, from September 14-15. This marked the fourth face-to-face ministerial meeting between the two countries since the Stockholm talks in July.
Main Discussion Topics: Intensive discussions on a framework for agreements to keep TikTok available in the US. The agreement is expected to be finalized at the summit meeting between Trump and President Xi Jinping scheduled for September 19.
Discussions on Russia-Iran Sanctions
Beyond TikTok, the US raised with China the issue of reducing imports of Russian and Iranian crude oil. The US has already imposed "secondary tariffs" of 25% additional tariffs on India and has proposed to G7 countries the implementation of 50-100% secondary tariffs on China and India.
However, Secretary Bessent stated a conditional position: "The US will not impose secondary tariffs on China unless European countries impose tariffs on China and India aimed at preventing China's purchase of Russian crude oil."
Future of Tariffs and Export Control Measures
Progress on tariffs and export controls between the US and China was limited. Export control measures were agreed to be discussed again in one month. Representative Greer stated that if trade talks progress smoothly, the US is prepared to consider re-extending the deadline for suspending additional tariffs.
Both countries continue to suspend partial application of mutually imposed tariff measures until November 10.