China weighs selling TikTok US to Elon Musk amid ban threat
Date
1/15/2025 1:37:50 AM
(MENAFN) China is exploring the possibility of selling TikTok’s United States operations to tech magnate Elon Musk as a strategy to prevent the app from facing an effective ban, according to a report by Bloomberg News on Monday.
Despite this potential option, Chinese authorities reportedly prefer that TikTok remains owned by its parent company, ByteDance Ltd., Bloomberg noted, citing individuals with knowledge of the situation.
The report comes after the US Supreme Court indicated last week that it is likely to uphold a nationwide ban on TikTok by January 19, just one day before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. The ban stems from ongoing national security concerns related to the app’s ties to China.
Bloomberg revealed that senior Chinese officials are already discussing contingency plans for TikTok as part of broader deliberations on how to navigate relations with the incoming Trump administration.
One option under consideration involves Musk’s social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), acquiring TikTok’s US operations and integrating them with its existing business. However, no final decisions have been made, and internal debates on the matter are still ongoing.
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