Biden confronted Xi on TikTok in their first conversation since November: White House says president 'reiterated' concerns app was owned by company with links to Beijing

President Joe Biden pressed his Chinese counterpart on the future of video sharing app TikTok when they spoke for the first time in five months on Tuesday morning, according to the White House.

U.S. lawmakers are mulling a ban on the popular app if its Chinese owners do not sell their stake.

They say it poses a national security risk because user data can end up in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party. b

'The president reiterated our concerns about the ownership of TikTok,' said White House spokesman John Kirby when he was asked about the call.

'He made it clear to President Xi that this was not about a ban of the application, but rather our interest in divestiture so that the national security interests and the data security of the American people can be protected.' 

The White House confirmed Tuesday that President Joe Biden had spoken to Chinese President Xi Jinping by telephone, their first conversation in almost five months

Biden also used the conversation to push Beijing over its support of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and to emphasise the need for peace in the Taiwan Strait, amid constant Chinese threats it is preparing to take the island by force, according to a White House readout of the conversation. 

It was their first call since meeting in California almost five months ago.

And it comes ahead of another potential flashpoint next month: The inauguration of Taiwan's new president. 

White House officials characterized the call as 'candid and constructive.'

TikTok, used for sharing short video clips, has become a heated political issue.

A DailyMail poll published at the weekend found that more than half of respondents believed their data ended up with Chinese officials.

Yet the huge enthusiasm for the site among young users means the public is split over whether to ban the app.

In March, the U.S. House of Representatives  voted to pass a bill giving ByteDance, the app's Chinese owner, about six months to sell the U.S. assets of the app or face a ban. Senators are still undecided on how to proceed.

Biden has said he would sign such a bill if it reached his desk.

J.L. Partners polled 1005 likely voters in November's election on their views about TikTok

TikTok fans arrived on Capitol Hill last month to protest a bill that could ban the app in the U.S. should China-based parent company ByteDance not divest from the company

'President Biden emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and the rule of law and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea,' the White House said in its readout of the call.

'He raised concerns over the [Peoples Republic of China's] support for Russia's defense industrial base and its impact on European and transatlantic security, and he emphasized the United States' enduring commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.'

The two leaders have attempted to maintain a level of diplomatic professionalism at a time of deep mutual suspicion between their two countries.

That mistrust deepened last year when a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon crossed the United States before being shot down by an American warplane. 

Biden also raised concerns about China's 'unfair trade policies' and said the U.S. would continue to take action to prevent American technologies being used against its national security. 

White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby confirmed that TikTok was raised by Biden during his call with Xi

Xi told Biden that the two countries should adopt the principles of 'no clash, no confrontation' for the year ahead.

'We should prioritize stability, not provoke troubles, not cross lines but maintain the overall stability of China-U.S. relations, he said, according to China Central Television.

Ahead of the call, a senior administration official told reporters that the aim was to strengthen lines of communication. 

More high-level meetings are due to follow Tuesday's call. 

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen will travel to China on Thursday and Secretary of State Antony Blinken has a trip in the works