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What Elon Musk needs from China

Economic Times · 7h

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, has a complex relationship with China, a country that President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to confront with higher tariffs. Tesla makes half its cars in China and faces strong competition from Chinese automakers. Musk has personally appealed to China's premier for permission to proceed with Tesla's Full Self-Driving technology. Experts speculate that China may use Musk as an ally to persuade Trump to take a more conciliatory approach on trade. Musk's other companies also face formidable competition from Chinese businesses in the solar energy, battery, and space launch industries. However, Tesla remains at a disadvantage in China as it has not received approval for Full Self-Driving, while Chinese companies have introduced similar technologies. Moreover, Tesla faces potential political risks in China, as the Biden administration considers banning cars from China or Russia with connections to digital networks. It remains uncertain how long Musk's alliance with Trump can last and its impact on Sino-American commercial relations.