Dining in style, venture capitalists and politicians gathered together to discuss the rising threat of China and the role of TikTok in the current political climate. The dinner was organized by the Hill & Valley Forum, a collaboration between Silicon Valley’s power players and Washington’s policy elite.
Eight billionaires were present at the dinner, including Peter Thiel, who likened the US-China relationship to a “codependent marriage”. Thiel expressed his view that the rise TikTok raised questions of data privacy, likening it to homeless people in the US, “since we’re having trouble fixing it”. The meal comprised of seared branzino and chicken with kaffir lime, ending with a lemon meringue mousse tower.
In attendance at the dinner were federal communications commissioner Brendan Carr, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, multiple tech executives, think-tank analysts, venture capitalists, lobbyists and many other political figures. The discussion centered around the contention of national security, the power of technology to make a difference, and what the future of the US-China relations might look like as well as potential solutions.
The group was driven by their financial interest in Chinese-owned apps like TikTok and their own AI startups. They believed the severity of this threat to the US should be a priority to those making the policy decisions.
The dinner took place the day before the CEO of TikTok, Shou Chew, was set to testify before the House Energy and Commerce Committee about how the app threatens US national security.
The Hill & Valley Forum are dedicated to bringing together the worlds of policy, science and technology to ensure a successful and secure future for the US. With experienced billionaires who have financial interests in the application, the dinner reiterated the urgency of the matter and the need for elected officials to take substantial steps concerning US-China relations.
