Tesla CEO Elon Musk arrived in Beijing on Sunday for an unannounced visit. He plans to meet with senior officials to discuss Tesla’s Full Self-Driving software rollout and data transfer overseas.
Chinese state media reported his meeting with Premier Li Qiang. During the meeting, Li highlighted Tesla’s growth in China as a successful example of US-China economic cooperation.
Tesla introduced its Full Self-Driving software four years ago but has not yet launched it in China, its second-largest market. Musk mentioned on social media this month that Tesla might soon make the software available to Chinese customers.
Musk also aims to secure permission to transfer data collected in China abroad. This data is crucial for training Tesla’s autonomous driving technologies. Since 2021, Tesla has stored all data from its Chinese operations in Shanghai, complying with local regulations.
State broadcaster CCTV, covering Musk’s meeting with Li, did not confirm if they discussed the Full Self-Driving software or data issues.
Earlier, state radio reported Li’s visit to the Beijing auto show. He praised China’s advancements in the smart new energy vehicle sector and emphasized the need to maintain these gains.
Additionally, Musk met with Ren Hongbin, head of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, the organizer of the auto show.
Musk commented on the progress of electric vehicles in China in a video posted on social media, stating, “All cars will be electric in the future.”
This trip to China occurred shortly after Musk cancelled a visit to India due to pressing obligations at Tesla. The company recently announced a 10% workforce reduction amid declining sales and competitive pricing pressures from Chinese electric vehicle brands.
U.S. auto safety regulators are investigating Tesla following a recall of over 2 million vehicles in the U.S. to determine if new Autopilot safeguards are sufficient after multiple crashes.
Musk’s jet landed in Beijing early Sunday morning, coinciding with the Beijing auto show, which Tesla last attended in 2021. Unlike previous visits, Tesla has no booth at this year’s show.
On the same day, Grace Tao, Tesla’s Vice President of External Relations in China, wrote about the potential of autonomous driving technologies in an article, highlighting Tesla’s leadership in the field.
Tesla’s share prices have fallen significantly this year, with the company experiencing its first quarterly revenue decline since the pandemic in 2020. Musk announced plans for cheaper Tesla models and a new self-driving “robotaxi” to be unveiled in August.
