Chinese foreign minister meets Elon Musk, says “committed to international business environment”

Beijing: China's foreign minister Qin Gang on Tuesday met with American billionaire Elon Musk. He said Beijing is "committed to creating an internationalised business environment" for foreign enterprises.

According to a statement by the Chinese ministry, Qin Gang told Musk that China is "committed to creating a better market-oriented, rule-of-law-based and internationalised business environment" for foreign enterprises. Musk reportedly told Gang that Tesla is willing to expand its business in China.

China will continue to unswervingly promote high-level opening-up and strive to create a better international business environment, added Qin. He also stressed the importance of a healthy, stable, and constructive China-US relationship. He compared the diplomatic relations between the two nations to driving a car. "The driver needs to keep the steering wheel in the right direction, step on the brake when necessary to avoid danger, and press the throttle at times to accelerate."

About the car industry development in China, the minister said the country is pushing forward modernisation which is characterised by a huge population, common prosperity for all, and harmony between humanity and nature. "It will create unprecedented growth potential and market demand, including for the new-energy automobile industry."

Musk said that the Chinese are "diligent and intelligent" and the country's "development achievements are well deserved". He also emphasised Tesla's stance against "decoupling and breaking the chain."

Musk's brainchild Tesla last month announced that it will be building a new battery factory in Shanghai. This will be Tesla's second factory in the city. This is the first time Musk is visiting China since the Covid-19 pandemic started. His association with China is not appreciated by Washington. US President Joe Biden in November said that Musk's links to foreign countries were "worthy of scrutiny".