Harris VP Pick Mark Kelly Has Ties To Chinese Spy Balloon Company

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), a potential vice-presidential pick for Kamala Harris, is under scrutiny for his past ties to a company with connections to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Kelly co-founded World View, a Tucson-based company specializing in space tourism and aerial surveillance using high-altitude balloons. The company received significant funding from Tencent, a Chinese venture capitalist linked to the CCP.

World View, known for its spy balloons, came into the spotlight after a similar balloon was spotted floating across the United States last year. Tencent, which has been involved with World View since 2013 and provided further funding in 2016, has known connections to the CCP. According to Vision Times, Tencent has a CCP branch and holds “Party Member Day” annually to celebrate the party’s achievements. Taiwan News reports that Tencent prioritizes hiring party members.

Despite these connections, World View president and CEO Ryan Hartman told The Arizona Republic in 2020 that Tencent has “zero access, zero input, and zero control” over the company. Moreover, the leadership of Tencent later admitted it was a mistake to accept Chinese investment. “When new leadership arrived in 2019 and learned of that investment, they swiftly moved to ensure World View was protected from any and all involvement from representatives of Chinese investors,” a spokesperson stated.

Kelly left World View in 2019 to focus on his political career. Any remaining financial interests he holds in the company are secured in a blind trust. The spokesperson confirmed that Kelly surrendered his assets and control of the company before leaving.

However, the scrutiny remains due to the company’s continued connections with Tencent, which uses its social media platform, WeChat, for surveillance and data collection on behalf of the Chinese government. This background has raised concerns about the potential influence of the CCP on Kelly’s past ventures.

As Harris considers her running mate, Kelly’s ties to World View and its Chinese connections could become a significant point of contention. The Trump campaign and other critics are likely to emphasize these connections to question Kelly’s suitability for the vice-presidential role.