Senior officials from the United States and China are gathering in Madrid this weekend for a pivotal round of talks, with the future of TikTok in the U.S., escalating tariff disputes, and broader economic frictions all on the agenda. The meetings, set to begin Sunday, September 14, 2025, bring together U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, and a team of other senior economic officials from both countries, according to Reuters and the Associated Press. This marks the fourth such high-level meeting this year, following prior sessions in London, Geneva, and Stockholm.
The backdrop to these talks is a tense and complex web of economic and security concerns that have only deepened in recent months. Among the most urgent issues is the impending Wednesday deadline for TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest its U.S. assets or face a ban, a move approved by the U.S. Congress in an effort to address national security fears. According to the Associated Press, these negotiations will directly address the ownership of TikTok, with both sides expected to stake out firm positions.
China’s Ministry of Commerce has made its stance clear ahead of the Madrid meetings. As reported by Chinese state sources, a ministry spokesperson emphasized, “China is firmly committed to safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of its enterprises and will handle the TikTok issue in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations.” The spokesperson also underscored that China prioritizes data privacy and security, stating, “The Chinese government attaches great importance to data privacy and security and has never requested, nor will it request, any enterprise or individual to collect or provide data located abroad to the Chinese government in violation of local laws.”
China has called on the United States to resolve the ongoing disputes through dialogue based on “mutual respect and equal consultation.” The ministry stressed that finding a solution that ensures an open, fair, just, and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies, including TikTok, is essential for the stable, healthy, and sustainable development of China-U.S. economic and trade relations.
For U.S. officials, national security remains front and center, particularly regarding TikTok’s data practices and ownership. The U.S. Congress has already approved a ban on TikTok unless ByteDance sells its controlling stake, reflecting bipartisan concern that the platform could be used to collect sensitive data on American users or influence public discourse. The Associated Press notes that this is part of a broader tightening of U.S. scrutiny on Chinese technology firms, with the Madrid talks representing a last-ditch effort to find a compromise before the ban takes effect.
But TikTok is only one piece of the puzzle. As Reuters reports, the Madrid meetings will also cover a wide array of trade and economic issues, including the extension of U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods, which currently stand at about 55% and have been approved by President Donald Trump to remain in place until at least November 10, 2025. The two sides previously agreed in Stockholm in July to extend a 90-day trade truce, which sharply reduced retaliatory tariffs and restarted the flow of rare-earth minerals from China to the United States—a critical supply chain for U.S. technology and defense industries.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent and Trade Representative Greer are also expected to press China on export controls and joint efforts to combat money laundering, signaling that the U.S. is looking to broaden the scope of cooperation even as it maintains a tough stance on core issues. In a separate statement, Bessent urged G7 allies to impose “meaningful tariffs” on imports from China and India to pressure them to reduce purchases of Russian oil, a move aimed at cutting off revenue that could fund Russia’s war in Ukraine. “Only with a unified effort that cuts off the revenues funding Putin’s war machine at the source will we be able to apply sufficient economic pressure to end the senseless killing,” Bessent and Greer said, as quoted by Reuters.
China, meanwhile, has not stood still. On the eve of the Madrid talks, the Chinese government announced new anti-discrimination investigations into U.S. trade policy regarding semiconductors, as well as a probe into the dumping of U.S. chips in the Chinese market. These moves are widely seen as both a response to ongoing U.S. export controls and a signal that China is prepared to defend its own interests vigorously if the talks do not yield progress.
Despite the tough rhetoric and tit-for-tat measures, both sides have shown a willingness to keep talking, at least for now. The multiple 90-day pauses on increasing tariffs agreed to earlier this year were designed to avoid a full-blown trade war, providing breathing space for negotiators to seek common ground. Still, the window for compromise may be closing fast. The looming TikTok deadline, the ongoing investigations, and the broader geopolitical tensions—from Ukraine to the South China Sea—have all raised the stakes for this round of talks.
For the U.S., the Madrid meetings are also an opportunity to reaffirm alliances. Treasury Secretary Bessent is scheduled to meet with Spanish officials to discuss U.S.-Spain relations, underscoring the importance of transatlantic cooperation in managing relations with China and responding to global economic challenges.
Observers note that both Washington and Beijing face domestic pressures that complicate the search for solutions. In the U.S., concerns about data privacy, electoral interference, and economic competition with China have become hot-button political issues, especially with a presidential election on the horizon. In China, the government is eager to protect its high-tech champions and maintain access to global markets amid slowing economic growth and rising international scrutiny.
Yet, amid all the tension, there are glimmers of hope. The fact that both sides continue to meet—despite the sharp words and competing demands—suggests that neither wants to see relations spiral out of control. As the Chinese Ministry of Commerce put it, the goal remains “the stable, healthy, and sustainable development of China-U.S. economic and trade relations.” Whether Madrid will mark a turning point or yet another stalemate is anyone’s guess.
As the world watches, the outcome of these talks could shape not just the fate of TikTok, but the broader trajectory of U.S.-China relations for years to come.
