China’s government on Monday sidestepped a question on US President Donald Trump’s recent claim that he “pretty much” has a deal with Beijing to bring TikTok into American ownership and that talks with China over the popular short-video app could begin early this week.

However, the plan was stalled after China signaled disapproval, largely in response to a new wave of U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports. Trump acknowledged that any final agreement would likely need Beijing’s approval,

President Donald Trump said he has identified a buyer for the US operations of TikTok, the social media app owned by Chinese company ByteDance Ltd., without naming the winning bidder.