TikTok Photo: VCG

Canada's government announced on Monday local time that TikTok will be permitted to keep operating in the country, and an associated investment from the platform can move forward, following the conclusion of a fresh national security review, according to official statements.

TikTok also confirmed to the Global Times that it has reached an agreement with the Canadian government to continue its local operations.

"We have been steadfast in our support of the thriving Canadian TikTok community, and today we are pleased to announce that TikTok Canada has reached an agreement with the Government of Canada that will keep our local operations, and local jobs, in place," TikTok said in a statement sent to the Global Times on Tuesday.

On Monday, Mélanie Joly, minister of industry and minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, said that the approval is "subject to new legally binding undertakings provided by TikTok Canada," according to a statement published on Canada Government's official website.

"The decision follows a thorough assessment of the information and evidence gathered during the review process, including advice from Canada's security and intelligence community and other government partners. Protecting Canadians' data and the safety of children online will always be a top priority of the government," said Joly.

"This latest outcome represents a conditional positive development for TikTok: it averts the worst-case scenario of a full shutdown, preserves the company's Canadian offices and hundreds of local jobs, and delivers much-needed operational certainty," Zhang Xiaorong, director of the Beijing-based Cutting-Edge Technology Research Institute, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

However, Zhang noted that challenges will likely remain, as TikTok must now deliver legally binding commitments on data protection and minor safeguards, subject to ongoing independent third-party audits, which would constrain flexibility and raise operating costs.

The Canadian government said that this decision will protect Canadian jobs, ensuring that TikTok Canada maintains a physical presence in Canada, with commitments to invest in its cultural sector.

Since opening our Canadian operations in 2020, TikTok Canada has been committed to having a local team in place that supports Canadian creators, artists and organizations. Today, more than 16 million Canadians come to TikTok every month to be entertained, learn something new and build their businesses, TikTok said in its statement.

Zhou Mi, a senior researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told the Global Times previously that Canada's latest moves, including TikTok and electric vehicles, showcased an underlying logic - replacing prior judgments with market facts and replacing "small yard, high fences" protectionism with opportunities for cooperation.

Canada in September 2023 ordered a national security review of a proposal by TikTok to expand the short-video app's business in the country. Later in March 2024, the US House passed a bill to force TikTok's Chinese owner ByteDance to divest the US assets of the app or face a ban, media reported.

The case started in back in November 2024, when the Canadian government announced that it has ordered ByteDance's Canadian subsidiary, TikTok Technology Canada, to cease operations in the country following a multi-step national security review process.

The move was slammed by Chinese analysts as lacking a factual basis, largely speculative, and is another case of manipulating the concept of national security, and following the US' footsteps.

Zhang pointed out that for the new Canadian government, recent moves sent a clear message: following the same technological restrictions as the US is no longer in the interests of Canada.