• Trump announces plans to begin talks with China on TikTok deal early this week.
• U.S. extends deadline for ByteDance to divest TikTok's U.S. operations to September 17.
• The importance of the deal is highlighted by national security concerns and data privacy issues.

U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he will start discussions with China on TikTok as early as this week, indicating that the United States "pretty much" has a deal regarding the app. Speaking from Air Force One, he mentioned that talks could involve President Xi Jinping or top Chinese officials, which demonstrates the diplomatic importance of the negotiations. Trump emphasized, "I think we're gonna start Monday or Tuesday... talking to China," which underscores the urgency of resolving the status of TikTok amid escalated U.S.-China tensions over technology and data security, according to Reuters, India Times, Channel News Asia, SCMP, Newsweek, and Dawn.

In a related move, Trump extended the deadline for the parent company of TikTok, ByteDance, to divest its U.S. operations to September 17. The original plan was to establish a U.S.-based firm controlled by American investors, but those plans were hindered by China's opposition, which emerged following Trump's announcement of imposing tariffs on Chinese goods. Trump indicated the importance of obtaining China’s approval for any agreement to move forward, reflecting the intricate balancing of international relations and national security, according to Reuters, India Times, Channel News Asia, SCMP, Newsweek, and Dawn.