After years of rejecting the idea of a sale of TikTok’s US assets to an American buyer in order to avert a ban, China and ByteDance may have found an owner they could live with: Elon Musk.

EXCLUSIVE: Rumours Elon Musk could buy TikTok or broker a deal have swirled in recent days in a move that could transform the video-sharing platform and make both parties even more powerful, an expert has said.

Beijing officials would rather have TikTok retain its ownership under parent company ByteDance Ltd. However, with the looming ban in the US market, they are contemplating selling the platform’s U.S. operations to Elon Musk.

Han -- who is set to attend the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump later on Monday -- met with Musk and other American business representatives on Sunday, Xinhua said.

ELON Musk is said to be in talks with China over the possibility of buying TikTok to avoid an impending US ban on the platform. The app is facing a ban in the US from January 19 due

Chinese officials are evaluating a potential option that involves Elon Musk acquiring the US operations of TikTok if the company fails to fend off a controversial ban on the short-video app, according to people familiar with the matter.

China is reportedly considering asking Elon Musk to be its white knight as it increasingly appears that TikTok will be banned from the U.S. That could be a costly — but potentially worthwhile — play for Musk’s own social media platform.

Han -- who is set to attend the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump later on Monday -- met with Musk and other American business representatives on Sunday, Xinhua said.

Elon Musk's Tesla and German auto giant BMW have challenged EU import tariffs on China-made electric vehicles at the bloc's top court, the European Commission said Monday.The carmakers -- which both manufacture EVs in China -- followed challenges filed with the Court of Justice of the European Union by Chinese automakers BYD,

President Donald Trump wants a U.S. investor to take a major stake in ByteDance’s TikTok. Several parties are in contention even as potential buyers face a litany of legal hurdles and barriers. After stepping in to restore TikTok in the U.