As tech billionaire and CEO of Tesla Elon Musk’s jet landed in Beijing Tuesday, it marked his first trip in three years to China where he was scheduled to meet Chinese state officials and business people, however, it was not clear at the moment what was to be discussed.
Upon his arrival, the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement that the government welcomed CEO Musk — and other business leaders — looking to promote "mutually beneficial cooperation."
People in China also reacted to 51-year-old tech tycoon Musk’s arrival with people regarding him as a global pioneer, while others regarded him as Brother Ma, referring to Chinese billionaire and co-founder of Ali Baba Group Jack Ma.
As he was being showered with praise on Chinese social media,
some also expressed their intentions that they want him as US President. A
user said: "Elon Musk is just great, if only China could have someone like
Elon Musk."
He was given audiences with three government
ministers as he met with the Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, and commerce
and industry ministers, alongside dining with Zeng Yuqun, chairman of top
battery supplier CATL.
It is not immediately clear what was discussed among the Chinese
state officials and former CEO of Twitter Elon Musk but the industry
ministry has only said Musk and its head Jin Zhuanglong exchanged views
about the development of electric vehicles and connected cars — that hasn't
stopped an outpouring of enthusiasm for CEO SpaceX on Chinese social
media.
As per the Reuters report in March, Musk was intending to
visit China and was seeking a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang.
It is a major trip by one of the major US company CEOs since
China revoked its zero-COVID policy and reopened its doors to foreigners,
though Musk’s trip was unannounced.
CEO Apple Tim Cook visited
China in March whereas, JP Morgan's Jamie Dimon and Starbucks' Laxman
Narasimhan are also in China this week.
Despite visits by other
business leaders, Musk’s trip is a hot topic amid the US-China commercial
tensions, with interest shown in his comments on artificial intelligence
(AI) and electric vehicles.
According to the photos posted on
social media, the menu for the 16-course meal at the upmarket Man Fu Yan
restaurant he shared with CATL's Zeng Tuesday evening was effusive.
Illustrated
with two rearing horses — a play on the character for a horse used in Musk's
Chinese name — the menu described Tesla as a dark horse "standing out from
traditional automotive companies".
Elon Musk photographed with Robin Zeng CEO of @catl_official at Hua Fu Hui at Royal Park Hotel in Beijing on Tuesday, 30th of May 2023.
— Jay in Shanghai 电动 Jay (@JayinShanghai) May 31, 2023
Follow thread for latest updates on Elon Musk in China 🇨🇳 🧵3/@elonmusk @Tesla $TSLA pic.twitter.com/jGG5ZNMq5N
The foreign ministry quoted the billionaire as describing the
US and China economies as "conjoined twins" and saying that he was opposed
to their decoupling.
The visit comes at a backdrop when Musk's
Tesla is facing competition from Chinese-manufactured electric cars. The
vehicle company is also facing uncertainty about expansion plans for the
Shanghai factory complex that Musk last visited in early 2020.
After the US, China is the second biggest market for Tesla and
the Shanghai plant is the electric car maker's largest production center.
For
Tesla observers, central areas of interest include the status of its plans
to increase output by 450,000 vehicles annually at its Shanghai plant.
Tesla
said in April that it would build a nearby factory to produce Megapack
energy storage products.
It is also yet to be seen whether
Chinese regulators allow the release of Tesla's advanced driver assistance
features available in other markets as part of the "Full Self Driving"
software it sells for $15,000 per vehicle.
