Global impact | Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok is facing a ban in the US as China hits back at ‘never-ending cycle’

Global Impact is a weekly curated newsletter featuring a news topic originating in China with a significant macro impact for our newsreaders around the world

In this week’s issue, we look to keep up with the complex and ever-evolving US-China relationship, with a particular focus on Washington’s moves to ban video-sharing app TikTok

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TikTok CEO Chew Shou Zi testifies before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Photo: TNS

Published: 2:00pm, 15 Apr 2024Updated: 1:21pm, 23 May 2024

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We’re coming up on six years since former US president Donald Trump started a trade war with China and marked the beginning of a new, more contentious approach by Washington towards Beijing to address perceived threats to American economic interests and national security.

While the punitive tariffs seemed to do very little initially, countless investigations, congressional hearings, and dire warnings about China by policymakers in both of the major political parties appear to have moved the needle back after decades of growth in the bilateral economic relationship.

For the first time in 17 years, China was dethroned as the United States’ top source of imports last year, with Mexico outpacing in terms of the total value of goods shipped.

Still, total US imports from China last year reached US$427.2 billion, slightly ahead of the US$421.1 billion from Canada, showing how much of a challenge it would be for those advocating for a much more significant break in economic ties.

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Protests at US Congress after House passes bill that could potentially ban TikTok nationwide

Many ordinary Americans might have a very low opinion about China – a recent poll showed that nearly three in five considered the country’s rise a critical threat to US interests, but the details surrounding trade and investment tend to fly under the radar of public opinion.