Where the TikTok Stalemate Will Lead: The Information’s Tech Briefing

The deadline for ByteDance to reach a deal to sell TikTok or face a U.S. shutdown is fast approaching. While it isn't clear whether time runs out on Sept. 15 or Sept. 20—the administration has used both dates at different times—President Trump has said there will be no extension.

Meanwhile, China is taking the position, according to Reuters, that it would rather see TikTok shut in the U.S. than ByteDance forced by the U.S. to sell. A forced sale would make China look weak, the Chinese leadership reportedly thinks. And with the power to block a sale, China’s way of thinking is likely to prevail—even if a deal is reached in the next week, which is still possible. All of which suggests TikTok is more likely to be shut than sold, unless a Henry Kissinger-like figure can emerge to broker a peace settlement between the two countries. (It’s possible ByteDance will succeed in getting a court to block the shutdown order.)