Tesla CEO Elon Musk explores business expansion in China during meeting with Foreign Minister

The Chinese Ministry released a statement confirming the meeting, where Qin Gang conveyed China's commitment to providing a better market-oriented, rule-of-law-based, and internationalized business environment for foreign enterprises.

This marked Elon Musk's first visit to China since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. The purpose of his visit was to strengthen Tesla's presence in the country, as his electric vehicle company had previously announced plans in April to construct a new battery factory in Shanghai, as per AFP reports.

The upcoming facility will serve as Tesla's second factory in Shanghai, following the groundbreaking of its massive Gigafactory in 2019.

However, Musk's close ties with China have attracted attention and scrutiny in the United States, particularly from President Joe Biden. In November, President Biden remarked that the executive's foreign connections were deserving of investigation.

During the meeting, Elon Musk expressed Tesla's willingness to further expand its operations in China, as conveyed by the Chinese foreign ministry. This indicates the company's determination to solidify its position in the Chinese market, which has been a crucial focus for Tesla's growth strategy.