China is weighing the sale of TikTok’s US operations to Elon Musk as a possible option

Chinese officials are evaluating a potential option involving Elon Musk take over TikTok’s U.S. operations if the company fails to stave off a controversial ban on the short video app, according to people familiar with the matter.

Beijing officials strongly prefer that TikTok remain under the ownership of parent company ByteDance Ltd., the people said, and the company is challenging the impending ban with an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. But the justices signaled during arguments on Jan. 10 that they are likely to uphold the law. Senior Chinese officials had already begun discussing contingency plans for TikTok as part of a wide-ranging discussion on how to work with Donald Trump‘s administration, one of which involves Musk, the people said, asking not to be identified, revealing confidential discussions.