Photo: @cyfoxcat via Twitter
Elon Musk's visit to China was supposed to advance the FSD Beta authorization process with the Chinese authorities. Still, Musk's first meeting was with the Chinese foreign minister Qin Gang, an unusual encounter for a businessman. Speculations abound that Chinese authorities want something from Musk in exchange for authorizing FSD Beta.
Elon Musk's visit to China has been rumored for quite some time, with many things on Tesla CEO's agenda. Shanghai operations are crucial to Tesla, especially as the EV maker wants to expand the gigafactory. Rumor has it that Tesla will also build its next-generation compact EV in China, and for this, it needs Chinese authorities' support to expand Giga Shanghai. There are other pressing matters for Musk to solve during this visit, including regulatory approval to test FSD Beta in China, which was long in the making.
Elon Musk is also expected to visit Tesla's Shanghai gigafactory, where the refreshed Tesla Model 3 production was rumored to start on June 1. This would be an excellent opportunity for Musk to hype the Project Highland update, potentially launching the new model during his visit to the factory. The refreshed Model 3 should be the first Tesla built in China with front and rear megacastings and a structural battery pack.
Tesla has significant expansion plans in China after it started constructing its first Megapack factory last month. More intriguing than Tesla's expansion plans was a tweet Musk shared while he was onboard the plane that took him to Beijing. "The Chinese space program is far more advanced than most people realize," Musk said. The message might reveal another area of interest for the discussions with Chinese officials during the visit.
Previous rumors indicated that Elon Musk would meet Chinese prime minister Li Qiang. The meeting is reportedly still on the agenda, as Musk wants to expand China operations. As the US and China relations became more tense, many businesses have tried to relocate operations and supply chains from China to other regions. Musk, on the other hand, is doubling down on China.
Musk's first meeting after his plane landed in Beijing was with the Chinese foreign minister Qin Gang. The move is puzzling and fuels fear that China's Communist Party (CCP) wants Musk and his shiny social network Twitter to play along, spreading Chinese propaganda. Free-speech absolutist Musk has accommodated weird extremists on his platform while at the same time shutting up Turkish opposition during the recent elections. It wouldn't be unusual that Chinese leaders would want something from Musk in exchange for giving him the green light to test FSD Beta on Chinese roads.
Qin Gang has been until recently China's ambassador to the US before being nominated as the foreign minister. He was also promoted to the ranks of the CCP as a member of the party's central committee. The moves emphasize the mood change in Beijing, as China puts greater weight on its relations with the US.
Elon Musk is also expected to visit Tesla's Shanghai gigafactory, where the refreshed Tesla Model 3 production was rumored to start on June 1. This would be an excellent opportunity for Musk to hype the Project Highland update, potentially launching the new model during his visit to the factory. The refreshed Model 3 should be the first Tesla built in China with front and rear megacastings and a structural battery pack.
Tesla has significant expansion plans in China after it started constructing its first Megapack factory last month. More intriguing than Tesla's expansion plans was a tweet Musk shared while he was onboard the plane that took him to Beijing. "The Chinese space program is far more advanced than most people realize," Musk said. The message might reveal another area of interest for the discussions with Chinese officials during the visit.
Previous rumors indicated that Elon Musk would meet Chinese prime minister Li Qiang. The meeting is reportedly still on the agenda, as Musk wants to expand China operations. As the US and China relations became more tense, many businesses have tried to relocate operations and supply chains from China to other regions. Musk, on the other hand, is doubling down on China.
Musk's first meeting after his plane landed in Beijing was with the Chinese foreign minister Qin Gang. The move is puzzling and fuels fear that China's Communist Party (CCP) wants Musk and his shiny social network Twitter to play along, spreading Chinese propaganda. Free-speech absolutist Musk has accommodated weird extremists on his platform while at the same time shutting up Turkish opposition during the recent elections. It wouldn't be unusual that Chinese leaders would want something from Musk in exchange for giving him the green light to test FSD Beta on Chinese roads.
Qin Gang has been until recently China's ambassador to the US before being nominated as the foreign minister. He was also promoted to the ranks of the CCP as a member of the party's central committee. The moves emphasize the mood change in Beijing, as China puts greater weight on its relations with the US.
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