Washington:
Republican and Democratic leaders of the U.S. House China House Selection Committee warned on Tuesday that Beijing could try to exert leverage with Elon Musk to win more favorable U.S. policy, and Washington must oppose any such efforts .
Republican committee chairman John Moolenaar and Democratic member Raja Krishnamoorthi said they believe the Chinese Communist Party wants to use U.S. business leaders, including Musk, who has a commercial interest in China, to promote the goal of talking to Washington.
“I do believe the CCP will try to take advantage of any opportunity for Elon Musk’s problem,” Moolenaar told the event hosted by the Brookings Institution Institution Institution.
When asked whether Congress is preventing Beijing from negotiating with white people, people say whether people will look for this and make sure his lane does not affect Chinese policy? I believe this is the case. ”Through Musk’s house.
Musk, the White House and China at the Washington embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
China has some urgent priorities. More than a month after his second term, President Donald Trump announced 10% tariffs on Chinese goods, calling for greater restrictions on Chinese investment in the United States and naming Chinese hardwood as key Position.
Musk, the richest man in the world and one of Trump’s biggest donors in the 2024 election, may attract Beijing, a potential channel for Trump as he has become the president’s closest one of the White House advisers.
Trump has fundamentally reduced the size of the federal government by appointing Musk to lead the signature effort.
Over the years, the billionaire has also contacted senior Chinese officials, including President Xi Jinping.
China may also give him the musk he wants. His biggest business interest in China is Tesla, an electrical car company, who co-founded and served as CEO. Tesla delivered 36.7% of its cars to its customers in China last year, its second largest sales in the world.
But Tesla’s market share has declined in China as domestic electric car manufacturers grow, and it faces regulatory hurdles to launch its self-driving capabilities that can boost sales, while regulators allow Chinese companies to continue go ahead.
Apart from Tesla, some of Musk’s other businesses include commercial rockets and satellite company SpaceX and social media platform X – the latter banned in China – are seen as a security risk by Beijing.
Bypassing the Chinese Eagle
Krishnamoorthi told Brookings event that Beijing sees Musk as a way to bypass the Chinese Hawks, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.
Krishnamoorthi said: “They absolutely see him as any kind of negotiation, a way to bypass Rubio, a way to bypass waltz, which is a way to bypass those they think are in Their questions are not very friendly to them.”
“I hope the president will listen very carefully to everyone,” he said.
The MPs did not elaborate on evidence supporting their views.
The White House said Musk had no decision-making power in the Trump administration and his efficiency initiatives did not directly participate in U.S. foreign policy.
Trump’s praise of Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin has raised concerns that he may engage in a huge bargain with Beijing. China claims the island as its territory, and Taipei has historically regarded Washington as its most important supporter and is the main stimulus for China.
Krishnamoorthi said he was concerned that Trump would bring core benefits, such as support for Taiwan or freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, to negotiate in any direct negotiations with XI to achieve a trade victory.
Moolenaar said he was confident in Trump’s national security team, but negotiations with China could achieve “limited hope” given Beijing’s failure to fulfill its past promises.
But he urged Taiwan not to pursue the proposed cuts in defense spending by parliament, saying it would send a “wrong signal.”
“You can’t divide the importance of your national security within Taiwan,” he said.
(Reported by Michael Martina and David Brunnstrom; Editors by Don Durfee and Cynthia Osterman)
(Apart from the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and published from the joint feed.)
