Musk says Tesla would be shut down if its cars spun in China, elsewhere

PHOTO FILE: Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk responds following the company’s original public offering at the NASDAQ market in New York June 29, 2010. REUTERS / Brendan McDermid // File Photo / File Photo

BEIJING (Reuters) – Tesla Inc. chief executive Elon Musk said on Saturday that his company would be shut down if their cars were used for spying, his first comments on news that Chinese weapons have put on Teslas from its facilities.

“We are strongly encouraged to keep any information confidential,” Musk told a well-known forum in China during a discussion. “If Tesla used cars to drive in China or anywhere, we would be shut down. ”

Sources told Reuters on Friday that the Chinese military has banned Tesla cars from entering its premises, citing security concerns regarding cameras installed on the vehicles.

Those restrictions that emerged as a major Chinese and U.S. diplomacy held a controversial meeting in Alaska, the first personal interaction since U.S. President Joe Biden began in January.

Musk urged greater mutual trust between the two largest economies in the world, in his comments to the China Development Forum, a high-level business gathering is held with a foundation under the Council of State.

He was holding a discussion panel with Xue Qikun, a quantum physics expert in charge of the Southern University of Science and Technology.

In China, the world’s largest car market and a major battleground for electric vehicles (EVs), Tesla sold 147,445 vehicles last year, 30% of its global total. However, there is more competition this year from domestic competitors from Nio Inc to Geely.

Musk has made several high-profile appearances in China, where Tesla does as well as sells EVs. In 2019, he discussed Mars and artificial intelligence with Alibaba’s famous founder, Jack Ma.

At a delivery event last year for Model 3 sedans made in China, Musk danced willingly on stage, taking off his jacket in a storm that hit social media.

Reciting with Yilei Sun, Cheng Leng and Ryan Woo; Edited by William Mallard

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