BEIJING (AFP) — China rebuffed on Thursday a suggestion from United States (US) President Donald Trump that he might offer to reduce tariffs on the country to get Beijing’s approval for the sale of popular social media platform TikTok.

Trump said this month the US was in talks with four groups interested in acquiring TikTok, with the app facing an uncertain future in the country.

A US law has ordered TikTok to divest from its Chinese owner ByteDance or be banned in the US, enacted over concerns that Beijing could exploit the video-sharing platform to spy on Americans or covertly influence US public opinion.

The law took effect on 19 January, a day before Trump’s inauguration, but he quickly announced a delay that has allowed it to continue to operate.

That delay is set to expire on 5 April.

Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday that he could give China “a little reduction in tariffs or something to get it done.”

“We’re going to have a form of a deal,” Trump said, adding that if it wasn’t done in time, he would extend the deadline.

“China is going to have to play a role in that, possibly in the form of an approval and I think they’ll do that.”

Beijing swiftly rebuffed Trump’s suggestion, with its foreign ministry saying that it has “repeatedly stated our position” on TikTok.