Elon Musk has been refusing to do business with Taiwan for years. However, a group of politicians in the United States is now urging him to end his boycott and allow American defense forces to use SpaceX's Starshield military-specific satellite communications network nationwide.
Demand for Starshield Access
In a letter sent to Musk and acquired by Forbes, Republican Rep. Mike Gallagher reminded SpaceX of its contractual commitment to give the US Department of Defense "global access" to its satellite internet services. He said Starshield, a program that harnesses communications and observational pictures from low-Earth orbit satellites, would get tens of millions of dollars from the Pentagon in the next year.
In order to protect American interests in the Indo-Pacific region, it is critical to have a strong communication network for US military personnel on and around Taiwan, according to Gallagher. He also warned that American service members in the Western Pacific would be in grave danger if China attacked Taiwan.
Musk is requested in the letter to inform the Select Committee of the availability of Starshield in the Taiwan area by March 8.
SpaceX, X (formerly known as Twitter), and Tesla CEO Elon Musk speaks during a live interview with Ben Shapiro at the symposium on fighting antisemitism on January 22, 2024, in Krakow, Poland.
Dilemma for Musk
This is sure to be an uncomfortable request for Musk. In addition to his personal connections to China--the site of Tesla's main factory--he has openly intervened in the diplomatic crisis between China and self-governing Taiwan, which China claims as part of its territory.
In 2022, Musk proposed giving partial authority over Taiwan to China to ease tensions between the two nations, according to Forbes.
Another unsettling aspect of the letter is the emphasis it places on the military and other agencies' dependence on SpaceX's satellites.
The firm is the leading global satellite communications provider, deploying over 5,000 satellites since 2019. Obtaining internet connectivity in countries devastated by war, natural catastrophes, or extreme poverty may be daunting.
For instance, with the Russian invasion of Ukraine entering its second year, the service has proved vital to the Ukrainian military fighting the attack.
However, issues arise in this area as well. According to Ukrainian military intelligence, Russians are also using Starlink satellite internet terminals, which erodes a significant tactical edge. Reportedly, Musk has strongly disputed that Russia was offered Starlink service.
