In a surprise visit to Beijing on April 28, 2024, Tesla CEO Elon Musk met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, signaling his continued commitment to Tesla’s growth in China’s rapidly expanding electric vehicle market. During their meeting, Musk and Premier Li discussed Tesla’s future expansion plans, including the potential for advanced autonomous driving technology in China. Musk hailed the performance of Tesla’s Shanghai Gigafactory, describing it as the company’s best-performing facility worldwide. He expressed Tesla’s willingness to deepen its collaboration with China and achieve mutually beneficial outcomes. Premier Li reiterated China’s unwavering openness to foreign-funded enterprises. He highlighted the country’s efforts to expand market access and provide a supportive business environment for foreign companies. The Premier emphasized that China-US economic cooperation has been successful, citing Tesla’s development in China as an example. He called for continued cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the area of technology and innovation. Musk’s visit to China coincides with the 2024 Beijing Auto Show, where Tesla showcased its latest electric vehicle models. Tesla has established a strong foothold in China since setting up its Shanghai factory in 2020. The company has enjoyed significant growth in sales, delivering over 600,000 vehicles in China last year. To further its commitment to China, Tesla has acquired land in Shanghai to build a factory specifically for the production of Megapack batteries, used in battery storage stations. Musk’s visit also follows Tesla’s recent announcement of layoffs affecting more than 10 percent of its global workforce as part of a cost-cutting and productivity-boosting effort. Despite the layoffs, Musk remains optimistic about Tesla’s future growth, expressing the company’s readiness for the next phase of expansion.
Elon Musk Meets Chinese Premier in Beijing, Expresses Commitment to Collaboration
