Elon Musk Praises Xi Jinping, Calls Him a Great Leader
Elon Musk praised Chinese President Xi Jinping during a CCTV interview and called Tesla’s Shanghai factory a “gem” ahead of Xi’s meeting with Donald Trump.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk praised Chinese President Xi Jinping as a “great leader” during an interview with Chinese state broadcaster CCTV on Wednesday. Musk said China had “prospered immensely” during Xi’s tenure, pointing to new buildings, infrastructure and what he described as rising prosperity among ordinary citizens.
Musk also praised Tesla’s Shanghai manufacturing hub, calling its team “incredibly talented, hardworking and trustworthy” and describing the factory as a “gem”. The Shanghai plant is Tesla’s largest manufacturing hub and a major export centre for the company.
His comments came as Xi is visiting the United States for meetings with US President Donald Trump. Xi and Trump are scheduled to meet on Thursday, marking their second summit of the year. Musk is also expected to attend a White House state dinner being hosted for the Chinese president alongside other US business leaders.
Tesla’s Shanghai facility remains important to the company’s global operations. Sales of Shanghai-produced Model 3 and Model Y vehicles rose 3.6 per cent year-on-year in August, although growth slowed compared with the previous month.
Musk’s latest remarks add another chapter to his long-standing public comments about China and its manufacturing ecosystem, with Tesla continuing to maintain a major production presence there.
