China Weighs Selling TikTok’s US Operations to Elon Musk

China is reportedly exploring the sale of TikTok’s US operations to Elon Musk, according to Bloomberg News. This development follows a US law requiring TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest its US business or face shutdown. The law, set to take effect soon, stems from allegations that TikTok allows Beijing to spy on users and spread propaganda, claims that ByteDance and China have strongly denied.

A possible deal under discussion would see Musk’s social media company, X (formerly Twitter), acquire TikTok’s US operations, valued between $40 and $50 billion, and integrate it into X’s platform. However, how Musk could finance such a deal, potentially involving asset sales, remains unclear.

Meanwhile, TikTok is challenging the divestment law, arguing in the US Supreme Court that it violates First Amendment free speech rights. During recent oral arguments, most justices appeared skeptical of TikTok’s position.

The potential sale remains in preliminary stages, with no consensus among Chinese officials. It’s unclear how much ByteDance knows of the government’s deliberations. TikTok has dismissed reports of the possible sale as “pure fiction.”

Musk’s involvement raises questions due to his significant interests in China, including Tesla’s large factory and market presence there. Furthermore, with Donald Trump’s return to the US presidency, trade tensions with China are expected to escalate, potentially complicating the deal.

This situation highlights the ongoing geopolitical tensions between the US and China, with TikTok caught in the crossfire of politics, technology, and international business.