Tesla and X CEO Elon Musk speaks at the Atreju political conference organized by the Fratelli d’Italia (Italian Brotherhood) on December 15, 2023 in Rome.
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The House Select Committee on Chinese Communist Party sent a letter to Elon Musk on Saturday asking U.S. troops stationed in Taiwan to use SpaceX’s Starshield, a satellite communications network designed specifically for the military.
The letter, obtained by CNBC and first reported by Forbes, claims that if it does not provide Starshield to U.S. troops stationed in Taiwan, SpaceX may be in violation of a Pentagon contract that requires the use of Starshield technology “worldwide.”
“However, I understand that SpaceX may cease providing broadband Internet service in and around Taiwan, which may violate SpaceX’s contractual obligations with the U.S. government,” Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis. the signed letter reads. Chairman of the House Committee on Communist Party of China.
The Pentagon awarded SpaceX a one-year Starshield contract in September, months after its Starlink network entered service in Ukraine’s war with Russia, which reached the two-year mark on Saturday.
The letter comes after Gallagher led a delegation of other lawmakers to Taiwan, where he and other lawmakers met with Taiwanese officials including President Tsai Ing-wen and President-elect Lai Ching-te.
The letter said lawmakers learned that despite the Pentagon’s mandated global access, U.S. forces in Taiwan were unable to use Star Shields: “Multiple sources disclosed to the committee that Star Shields has no activities in and around Taiwan.”
The letter asked Musk to provide a briefing on his Taiwan operations to a House committee by March 8.
Taiwan has governed independently from China since it split from the mainland in 1949 during civil war. China says it still has sovereignty over Taiwan and has repeatedly made clear its intention to unify the sovereign island with the mainland.
“If the Chinese Communist Party conducts military aggression against Taiwan, U.S. service members in the Western Pacific will face serious dangers,” the letter reads. “Ensuring U.S. military personnel in Taiwan and surrounding areas have strong communications networks is critical to safeguarding U.S. interests in the Indo-Pacific region.” Crucial.”
Tesla’s Success depends on good business relations with China, which has led Tesla CEO Elon Musk to develop a good relationship with China even as relations with the United States are more tense. Tesla has its own factory in Shanghai, while other foreign automakers in China are required to work in joint ventures.
Musk was criticized by Taiwanese officials last September for appearing to side with China’s reunification principles for Taiwan and claiming that Taiwan is an important part of China.
“I think as an outsider, I have a good understanding of China,” Musk said in the interview. All podcasts. “From their perspective, maybe it’s similar to Hawaii or somewhere like that, like an integral part of China but arbitrarily not part of China.”
“Listen, #Taiwan is not part of the #PRC and certainly cannot be sold,” Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said wrote X responded to Musk’s comments.
SpaceX and Musk did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the letter.
This story is developing. Please check back for updates.
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