No Discussion on TikTok Operation Plans
TikTok CEO Reports Contact with Parent Company Executives
Chu Shouzi, the CEO of TikTok, a Chinese short video sharing platform facing the risk of being ousted from the U.S. under the forced sale law due to national security concerns, is reportedly in contact with Elon Musk, Tesla CEO, who has emerged as a new influential figure in the incoming administration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.
On the 23rd (local time), The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that CEO Chu has exchanged messages with Musk over the past few weeks, seeking opinions on the second Trump administration and potential technology policies. Nicknamed the "First Buddy" (the president's close friend), Musk is considered virtually the only pro-China figure in Trump's second-term cabinet. CEO Chu and ByteDance, TikTok's parent company in China, are said to be hoping that Musk will act as a bridge connecting them with the next U.S. government. Chu and Musk have known each other for years, leading to interpretations that they are attempting to seek relief for TikTok through Musk. However, one foreign media outlet predicted that "Musk might part ways with Trump because he opposes tough economic policies against China."
Foreign media reported that CEO Chu has briefed ByteDance executives on his contacts with Musk, and the ByteDance leadership is cautiously optimistic about TikTok's future. However, sources said that Chu and Musk have not discussed clear options for continuing TikTok's operations in the U.S.
President-elect of the United States Donald Trump is watching a UFC match at Madison Square Garden in New York on the 16th (local time) and talking with Tesla CEO Elon Musk, the 'First Buddy,' who is sitting next to him. Photo by Yonhap News
Prior to the election, ByteDance executives reportedly had contact not only with the Trump camp but also with Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate. During his first term, President-elect Trump pushed for banning TikTok, but during this election, he changed his stance, arguing that "banning TikTok would anger the younger generation." He even joined TikTok this summer.
Meanwhile, according to the congressional forced sale law, if ByteDance does not sell its U.S. business rights by January next year, TikTok will be banned from use within the U.S. Even if President-elect Trump has changed his position, the sale of TikTok's business rights and service ban are measures stipulated by law, making it difficult to reverse without congressional cooperation. However, foreign media explained that since the TikTok forced sale law was passed with bipartisan support in the U.S. Congress, the likelihood of Congress overturning it is low.
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