Elon Musk arrives in China after 3-year hiatus, meets with foreign minister

By Anadolu staff

ANKARA (AA) – Elon Musk, the billionaire founder of Tesla, met with China's Foreign Minister Qin Gang shortly after he air dashed to Beijing on Tuesday for his first visit since 2020.

Musk, the world's second richest person, arrived in Beijing on a private jet owned by his company, Tesla.

The visit follows increasing competition Tesla is currently facing from China-made electric vehicles, and some reported uncertainty about expansion plans for his corporation's Shanghai plant.

"China will continue to unswervingly promote high-level opening up, and is committed to creating a better market-oriented, legalized and internationalized business environment for companies from all over the world, including Tesla," Qin was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry.

China's new energy automobile industry, he added, has broad prospects for development.

He observed that a "healthy, stable and constructive" Sino-US relationship benefits not only both countries but the entire world.

Musk, for his part, said that the interests of the US and China are "intertwined like conjoined twins."

"Tesla opposes "decoupling and breaking chains, and is willing to continue to expand its business in China and share China's development opportunities," he was quoted as saying.