• Chinese officials are exploring a potential deal for Elon Musk to acquire TikTok’s U.S. operations if the app faces a ban in the country.
• The Chinese government prefers ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, to retain ownership, but is considering alternatives as the U.S. Supreme Court may uphold the ban.
• Musk’s close ties to the Trump administration and his role in improving government efficiency under the new administration make him a desirable figure for Chinese officials in these negotiations.
• The discussions are seen as a potential area for reconciliation between China and the U.S. but remain preliminary and no final decision has been made.
• The proposed deal raises concerns over user data and surveillance, with U.S. lawmakers questioning TikTok’s CEO about the Chinese government’s potential access to American user information.

Chinese officials are reportedly considering a high-stakes deal that could see Elon Musk acquire the U.S. operations of TikTok, the wildly popular short-video app, if the company fails to fend off a controversial ban.

According to insiders familiar with the matter, Beijing officials are actively debating contingency plans, with Musk emerging as a potential key player. The Chinese government strongly prefers that TikTok remains under the ownership of its parent company, ByteDance Ltd., but the company is currently contesting the impending ban with an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

However, justices signaled during recent arguments that they are likely to uphold the ban, prompting Chinese officials to explore alternative scenarios.

One of the discussed plans involves Musk’s X, formerly known as Twitter, taking control of TikTok’s U.S. operations. This scenario holds particular appeal for the Chinese government, given Musk’s close ties to the Trump administration. Musk, who spent more than $250 million supporting Trump’s re-election, has been tapped for a prominent role in improving government efficiency under the new administration. (Related: TikTok files lawsuit against Biden administration over law forcing sale of app.)

The potential deal could be seen as a strategic move to navigate the complex relationship between China and the United States. While ByteDance’s leaders remain committed to fighting the ban through legal means, Chinese officials recognize the need for negotiation with the Trump administration over tariffs, export controls and other issues. The TikTok negotiations are seen as a potential area for reconciliation.

However, the discussions remain preliminary and Chinese officials have yet to reach a firm consensus. It’s unclear how much ByteDance is aware of these talks, and whether Musk, TikTok and ByteDance have engaged in any discussions about the terms of a potential deal.

Additionally, Musk opined in April that “TikTok should not be banned in the USA, even though such a ban may benefit the X platform,” before adding, “Doing so would be contrary to freedom of speech and expression. It is not what America stands for.”

U.S. lawmakers suspect that the Chinese government is gathering user data through TikTok

In March 2023, U.S. lawmakers questioned TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew over suspicions that the Chinese government was gathering user data through the app.

Bipartisan legislation was later passed requiring ByteDance to either sell its stake in TikTok or face an effective ban in the country, which comes into effect on Jan. 19. ByteDance is still trying to fight the ban through legal channels and the U.S. Supreme Court recently signaled it may uphold the law requiring ByteDance to sell or shut down U.S. operations.

However, President-elect Donald Trump, who will take office on Jan. 20, wants to delay the ban so that negotiations can be worked on.

The push to ban TikTok centered on two main concerns: fear that the Chinese government could access American user data and concerns about potential surveillance of Americans. ByteDance argued that the law violates the First Amendment rights of its 170 million U.S. users. The U.S. operations of TikTok could be valued at around 40 to 50 billion, according to Bloomberg Intelligence analysts.

Head over to Surveillance.news for more similar stories.

Watch the video below to learn more about TikTok’s lawsuit against the U.S. government.

This video is from the CreeperStatus channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Texas AG Ken Paxton sues TikTok for exploiting minors and endangering national security.

Lawmakers tell Apple and Google: Prepare to delist TikTok from app stores as ByteDance’s January deadline to divest nears.

TikTok files emergency injunction to block U.S. ban, citing Constitutional violations and lack of evidence.

TikTokGenocide.com website is tracking, backing up videos of genocide in Gaza so censors can’t delete them.

TikTok CENSORS video of Dr. Phil promoting his interview with Trump.

Sources include:

CoinTelegraph.com

Bloomberg.com

Brighteon.com