Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla Inc, said on Saturday that if his company’s cars were used to spy on people, the company would be shut down, making his first remarks in response to reports that China’s military has barred Teslas from its facilities.
“There’s a very strong incentive for us to be very confidential with any details,” Musk said during a virtual discussion with a popular Chinese forum, claiming that Tesla would be shut down if its vehicles were spied in China or elsewhere.
The Chinese military has barred Tesla cars from entering its complexes, according to Reuters, citing security concerns about cameras mounted on the vehicles.
These restrictions were revealed during a tense meeting in Alaska between top Chinese and US diplomats, the first such face-to-face meeting since US President Joe Biden took office in January.
In remarks to the China Development Forum, a high-level business meeting organised by a foundation under the State Council, Musk urged greater mutual confidence between the world’s two largest economies.
He was speaking on a panel with Xue Qikun, a Chinese quantum physicist who is now the president of Southern University of Science and Technology.
Tesla sold 147,445 vehicles in China last year, the world’s largest car market and a major battleground for electric vehicles. However, domestic rivals ranging from Nio Inc to Geely are posing a greater threat this year.
By Tanya Singh