After a government decision to ban his car … Elon Musk courts China

Tesla CEO Elon Musk praised China in an interview with China Central Television (CCTV), promising the country would become the “biggest market” for its electric car industry in China. long term. He also praised China’s economic and climate goals – which is the world’s largest source of carbon emissions, but pledged to significantly reduce emissions over the next decade.

“I am very confident about Tesla’s future in China,” Musk told CCTV during the interview Tuesday night. “I think the Chinese economy could do very well over the next decade and become the largest economy in the world. It is also committed to a sustainable energy future,” according to CNN, and seen by Al Arabiya .net.

While the company has received special treatment from Chinese authorities in recent years, it has come under heavy criticism in recent weeks.

Last month, Chinese officials summoned Tesla to answer questions about the quality of its cars built in Shanghai. Over the weekend, media reported that the military had barred Tesla cars from entering their enclosures over fears that on-board cameras could be used for espionage.

Musk addressed espionage issues on Saturday, saying at a Chinese development conference that his company’s cars would never be used for such purposes.

But his comments on the video surveillance went a step further in praising Beijing and underlining the importance of the market to Tesla.

China already accounts for one-fifth of Tesla’s revenue and is its second-largest market after the United States, according to a recently released report.

In the long run, Musk told CCTV, “China will be our biggest market, in terms of the number of vehicles manufactured and the largest number of customers.”

Not only that, Musk spoke of Beijing’s ambitious plan for economic domination over the next five years, and said he admires the country’s climate goals.

Musk commented on Chinese President Xi Jinping’s goals, which he announced last September for China to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, saying, “These are very huge goals. I think they’re big. goals. I hope more countries already have these goals. “” I have every confidence that China’s future will be great. “

Although he does not speak Chinese, Musk is one of the best-known American business leaders in China. A video of him dancing on stage during the debut of Model 3 made in Shanghai early last year has gone viral on Weibo, and Premier Li Keqiang once said that he would be happy to award the mask a ” Chinese green card “after a man told US Business He” likes China very much. “