Elon Musk’s Business Ties to China Create Unease in Washington
Tesla, SpaceX are at the center of discussions; some lawmakers fear Beijing could access secrets as ‘Congress doesn’t have good eyes on this’
Elon Musk’s ties to China are causing unease in Washington, including among some Republican lawmakers who have been among the billionaire entrepreneur’s ardent supporters.
The concerns center on the potential for China to gain access to the classified information possessed by Mr. Musk’s closely held Space Exploration Technologies Corp., including through SpaceX’s foreign suppliers that might have ties to Beijing.
Some lawmakers also are troubled by the lack of clear lines between SpaceX and auto maker Tesla Inc., which also is run by Mr. Musk and has extensive operations in China. Tesla has developed advanced battery packets sought by the Chinese, and China has adopted a less-expensive battery technology championed by Mr. Musk.
The concerns come amid a fierce rivalry between the U.S. and China that recently has been stoked by China’s focus on space technology. Tensions are also rising because of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s partnership with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Rep. Chris Stewart (R., Utah), is seeking confidential briefings on Capitol Hill with officials from agencies including the National Reconnaissance Office, which coordinates the launch of intelligence satellites, to determine whether the Chinese government has any direct or indirect links to SpaceX.
“I am a fan of Elon Musk and SpaceX, but anyone would be concerned if there are financial entanglements with China,” said Mr. Stewart, a senior member of the House Intelligence Committee. “Congress doesn’t have good eyes on this.”
Representatives of Mr. Musk, SpaceX and Tesla didn’t respond to requests for comment.
Mr. Stewart also wants to find out whether any companies with Chinese ties have invested in SpaceX, which isn’t publicly traded.