China Explores TikTok Sale to Elon Musk Amid US Pressure.

Bloomberg News reports that initial discussions have occurred; however, a spokesperson for TikTok has dismissed the claim as 'pure fiction'.

Chinese officials are engaged in initial discussions regarding the possibility of selling TikTok's operations in the United States to billionaire Elon Musk, should the short-video application face an unavoidable ban, as reported by Bloomberg News on Monday.

According to the report, Beijing officials would prefer TikTok to remain under the ownership of its parent company, ByteDance.

The sale of TikTok's U.S. operations could occur either through a competitive bidding process or via a government arrangement, indicating that the app's future may no longer be entirely in ByteDance's hands.

The Chinese government holds a "golden share" in ByteDance, which several congressional members have indicated provides the government with influence over TikTok.

In one potential scenario, Musk's social media platform X could assume control of TikTok's U.S. operations and manage the business jointly, as stated in the report. However, officials have not yet reached a consensus on the way forward, according to Bloomberg News.

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“We can’t be expected to comment on pure fiction,” a TikTok spokesperson said, responding to the report.

It is still uncertain to what extent ByteDance is informed about the ongoing discussions, as well as the involvement of Musk and TikTok. Additionally, there is no available information indicating whether ByteDance, TikTok, and Musk have engaged in any negotiations concerning a potential agreement.

TikTok has previously stated that the government's ownership stake “has no bearing on ByteDance’s global operations outside of China, including TikTok”.

Elon Musk, X, and China's Cyberspace Administration and Ministry of Commerce did not provide an immediate response to a request for comment.

Recently, the Supreme Court appeared to lean towards upholding a law that could mandate a sale or ban of TikTok in the United States by January 19, citing national security concerns related to China.

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The potential sale of TikTok's U.S. operations to Elon Musk, as speculated in recent reports, highlights the precarious state of the platform amidst growing geopolitical tensions and national security concerns. Despite denials from TikTok and unclear involvement from ByteDance or Musk, the situation underscores how external pressures could strip ByteDance of its control over TikTok.

This uncertainty threatens the platform’s stability, user trust, and global reputation. If such a sale were to proceed under duress, it could set a troubling precedent for government interference in private businesses, further escalating tensions between the U.S. and China while jeopardizing innovation and market freedom.