SHANGHAI – Tesla chief executive Elon Musk departed Shanghai on Thursday, wrapping up a two-day trip to China in which he met senior Chinese government officials, including the highest-ranking vice-premier.
Photos and a video of Mr Musks visit late on Wednesday to Teslas Shanghai factory the automakers biggest production hub showed him holding up a Giga Shanghai sign, flanked by hundreds of staff including Mr Tom Zhu, head of global manufacturing.
The video released by Tesla showed Mr Musk praising employees for overcoming so many difficulties and challenges and making a heart sign with his hands.
Earlier in the trip, Mr Musk met Chinas foreign, commerce and industry ministers in Beijing and dined with the chairman of battery supplier Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd (CATL).
He also met Chinese Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang on Wednesday, a source familiar with the matter said. Mr Ding is the sixth highest-ranked leader in the Politburo Standing Committee, the top governing body led by President Xi Jinping.
This marks the first time that Mr Ding is known to have had a one-on-one meeting with a foreign CEO.
China values its relationship with Tesla and in 2019, Mr Musk had a one-on-one meeting with then premier Li Keqiang.
Tesla, the State Council Information Office, which handles media queries on behalf of the Chinese government, did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.
Mr Musk also met Mr Chen Jining, Shanghais party secretary, who welcomed Tesla to increase its investments and expand businesses in the city, according to a statement from the municipal government on Thursday.
Since his arrival in China on Tuesday morning, the US billionaire has been showered with praise by the Chinese public, but Mr Musk himself has been uncharacteristically silent and has yet to make any public statements.
Little is known of the conversations he had with Chinese government officials so far. The sources, who were not authorised to speak to media and declined to be identified, did not provide details of Mr Musks discussions with Mr Ding or Mr Chen.
The industry ministry said only that Mr Musk and its head exchanged views about the development of electric vehicles and connected cars; the commerce ministry announced Mr Musk had discussed Teslas development in China with its minister.
The US billionaires private jet took off from Shanghais Hongqiao airport on Thursday morning, heading for Austin, Texas, where Teslas global headquarters is located, according to flight-tracking platform Variflight. REUTERS More On This Topic Pioneer, global idol: Elon Musk greeted with praise and feast during China trip Elon Musk lands in Beijing, meets Chinas foreign minister