A House select committee that has been lauded as the "least partisan" is on the verge to becoming a center of turmoil now that Donald Trump was re-elected and is taking advice from billionaire Elon Musk.
According to a report from Politico's Phelim Kine and Robbie Gramer, the House China Select Committee, which was established two years ago, has been a model of bi-partisan cooperation as it confronts the threat coming from China, but that is all about to change.
As the report notes, the committee has been making progress but that has slowed since the election with one staffer complaining, "The sheen is gone and the work is slowing down, Seems like the committee’s lost its mojo.”
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The committee has been notable for helping Taiwan "fortify" itself against a possible Chinese incursion but is now faced with Trump stating he wants Taiwan to pay more, while also noting Musk has multiple business interests in China which could influence future foreign policies.
With Ret. Adm. Mike Studeman, former commander of the Office of Naval Intelligence, claiming Musk is "compromised and co-opted by the Chinese … a Chinese sympathizer of high order,” Politico is reporting, "There are signs that Musk — who didn’t respond to a request for comment — is already making his presence felt."
"Like Trump, Musk has a much murkier position on Taiwan than many on the committee. He favors surrendering Taiwan to China as a 'special administrative zone' akin to Hong Kong. Musk believes conceding Beijing’s claim to Taiwan — a territory it has never controlled — might avert a war over the island that could harm his China-based Tesla operations," the report added.
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