Tech Diplomacy Now: White House Declares a TikTok Deal
White House declares a TikTok framework agreement with China after months of negotiations
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Advancing Trusted Technology in Central Asia at the UN General Assembly
The Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue, with support from Google, convened leaders from Central Asia, the U.S. Departments of State and Commerce, and global industry for a roundtable on advancing trusted AI in Central Asia and Azerbaijan.
The discussion, held alongside the UN General Assembly, highlighted how the trusted U.S. tech stack can strengthen regional cooperation and prosperity. Through this convening, the Krach Institute helped accelerate meaningful dialogue and action around trusted technology, education and workforce development, and industry partnerships, setting the stage for continued engagement in upcoming regional forums.
Bloomberg & CNBC Spotlight: Krach Institute CEO Giuda on how the U.S. Wins the 21st-Century Technology Race
Krach Institute CEO Michelle Giuda joined Bloomberg and CNBC this week to discuss the TikTok deal, U.S.-China technology tensions and what it takes for the U.S. to stay competitive. Giuda notes that while tariffs, export controls, and regulatory agreements are important, the only way to move beyond the incremental grind of the U.S.-China relationship is to go on offense—by inventing, building and innovating at scale. The private sector plays a central role in leading this effort and ensuring the U.S. wins the 21st-century technology race.
Top News of the Week - White House Declares a TikTok Deal
After nine months of negotiations and some false starts, the White House announced that they had settled on a framework agreement with their Chinese counterparts for TikTok to remain operating in the United States.
Key Points:
The White House says that the social media platform will be operated by a majority owned U.S. entity even as ByteDance maintains a nearly 20% ownership stake.
The White House claims that the agreement will result in all data for Americans being stored inside the United States on American hardware, and managed with software from the American firm, Oracle.
They also claim that the recommendation algorithm will be licensed to the American TikTok entity by ByteDance and that Oracle will retrain and control the recommendation algorithm.
On Friday, September 19, President Trump claimed following a phone call with Chinese leader Xi Jinping that the Chinese had “approved” the deal.
However, in the statement by the PRC Government following the call, the Chinese did not say that the deal was approved and that they would review it based on Chinese law and regulations.
More on Background:
TikTok’s algorithm to be licensed to US joint venture led by Oracle and Silver Lake – Associated Press, September 23, 2025
Deal for TikTok creates U.S. joint venture, and government won’t have a stake – NPR, September 22, 2025
White House ‘100 percent’ sure TikTok deal with China will close – Politico, September 22, 2025
US will complete TikTok deal ‘in coming days’ and control its algorithm, White House says – CNN, September 20, 2025
Beijing says TikTok’s US app will use Chinese algorithm – FT, September 17, 2025
US, China reach framework deal on TikTok; Trump and Xi to speak on Friday – Reuters, September 15, 2025
Latest News
Cache of Devices Capable of Crashing Cell Network Is Found Near U.N. – New York Times, September 23, 2025
Disruption continues at Heathrow, Brussels and Berlin airports after cyber-attack – The Guardian, September 21, 2025
Estonia says 3 Russian fighter jets entered its airspace in ‘brazen’ incursion – AP, September 19, 2025
US panel probes Huawei affiliate’s presence on Nvidia’s Silicon Valley campus – Mercury News, September 18, 2025
Technology Strategy and Policy
U.S. Export Controls and China: Advanced Semiconductors – CRS, September 19, 2025
Risky Configuration: China’s Footprint in Germany’s Technology Stack – German Marshall Fund, September 16, 2025
Further Extending the TikTok Enforcement Delay – The White House, September 16, 2025
Dynamic Tech Defense Reform: How to Unleash American Innovation and Restore Our Military Dominance – a16z American Dynamism, September 2025
Artificial Intelligence
‘Stargate of China’ plan emerges to challenge US as AI superpower – FT, September 22, 2025
Beijing’s “Robot Army” Isn’t Science Fiction. It’s Already Here. – National Interest, September 17, 2025
How Americans View AI and Its Impact on People and Society – Pew Research, September 17, 2025
China trials its first advanced tools for AI chipmaking – FT, September 16, 2025
AI firm DeepSeek writes less-secure code for groups China disfavors – WaPo, September 16, 2025
Telecommunications Networks and Infrastructure
Tearing Down China’s ‘Great Firewall’: Leaked documents expose the global spread of China’s cyber repression. – The Dispatch, September 22, 2025
TikTok’s Algorithm to Be Secured by Oracle in Trump-Backed Deal – Bloomberg, September 22, 2025
How ‘Safe China’ sells its security strategy to the world – FT, September 20, 2025
Salt Typhoon and UNC4841: Chinese Cyber Espionage Targets Mobile Phones – Bitter Winter, September 19, 2025
Critical Minerals
China Rare Earths Issue Remains Unresolved, US Lawmaker Says – Bloomberg, September 23, 2025
Europe’s first production plant for rare-earth magnets opens – FT, September 22, 2025
EU Firms Face New Production Halts on China Rare Earth Pinch – Bloomberg, September 19, 2025
EU companies hit by renewed delays to Chinese rare earths licences – FT, September 17, 2025
Synthetic Biology
Biomni and Sage Partner on AI-Powered Access to Biomedical Data – BioPharma Trend, September 17, 2025
Transforming cancer care with Artificial Intelligence – EPFL News, September 17, 2025
Stanford–Arc Team Reports AI-Made Viruses That Kill Bacteria – BioPharma Trend, September 17, 2025
Quantum
Quantum Surprise is Coming – Building Our Future, September 22, 2025
UT Austin, Quantinuum Researchers Report ‘Unconditional’ Quantum Supremacy – Quantum Insider, September 20, 2025
Trump administration planning expansion of U.S. quantum strategy – Cyberscoop, September 19, 2025
Quantum computers have finally achieved unconditional supremacy – New Scientist, September 19, 2025
Trilateral Quantum Cooperation – U.S. State Department, September 5, 2025
Advanced Aerospace Technology
No missing bolts: a glimpse into China’s C919 smart factory – SCMP, September 22, 2025
Countering the Swarm: Protecting the Joint Force in the Drone Age – CNAS, September 18, 2025
Red Shift: The Acceleration of China’s Commercial and Civil Space Enterprise & The Challenge to America – Commercial Space Federation, September 16, 2025
Semiconductors and Microelectronics
Teams at Nvidia and Intel have been working in secret on jointly developed processors for a year – Tom’s Hardware, September 18, 2025
Huawei Showcases Its ‘Highly Competitive’ AI Chip Roadmap; Ascend 950PR To Feature Self-Built HBM With Release Slated For Q1 2026 – WCCF Tech, September 18, 2025
Huawei Unveils AI Chip Roadmap to Challenge Nvidia’s Lead – Bloomberg, September 18, 2025
OpenAI and NVIDIA announce strategic partnership to deploy 10 gigawatts of NVIDIA systems – OpenAI, September 16, 2025
Energy and Climate
Octopus Energy to Spin Off AI Arm Kraken to Create Potential $15 Billion Software Platform – WSJ, September 18, 2025
Don’t Let Chinese EV Makers Manufacture in the United States – ITIF, September 17, 2025
How China’s CATL Keeps Trouncing Its Battery Rivals – The Information, September 15, 2025
American Power is American Power – Arena Magazine, August 26, 2025
Opinion and Commentary
Why China said ‘no’ to stripped-down Nvidia chips – SCMP, September 23, 2025
What Trump Wants from a TikTok Deal with China – Clare Malone, The New Yorker, September 20, 2025
Brussels’ Strategic Choice: Forge a Western Alliance to Prevail Over China, or Triangulate and Lose – Rob Atkinson, In The Arena, September 16, 2025
Break Up Nvidia – Oren Cass, Commonplace, September 14, 2025
The Last Word
– Keith Krach, Chairman of the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue
About: Tech Diplomacy Now
The Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue is the world’s preeminent trusted technology accelerator. As the leader of the new category of Tech Diplomacy, the Institute integrates technology expertise, Silicon Valley strategies, and foreign policy tools to build the Global Trusted Tech Network of governments, companies, organizations and individuals to accelerate the innovation and adoption of trusted technology and ensure technology advances freedom.