Elon Musk, the CEO of electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla, has met with Chinese Foreign Minister Chen Gang in Beijing.
China is a big market for electric vehicles, and Tesla announced in April that it would build a second factory in Shanghai.
The French news agency AFP quoted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China as saying that the Chinese Foreign Minister told Elon Musk that China is committed to creating a better environment for foreign companies.
Elon Musk said that Tesla is willing to expand its business in China.
Washington has objected to Elon Musk’s relationship with China, and in November, US President Joe Biden said the executive’s foreign relations needed to be scrutinised.
Elon Musk and Chen Gong discussed US-China relations, and Chen Gong said that “timely braking is necessary to avoid dangerous driving.”
Tesla’s first gigafactory in China broke ground in 2019, and a second factory in Shanghai was announced in April.
Tesla’s profits fell in the first quarter of this year, and the company had to cut prices to compete with other automakers.
Tesla’s least expensive car in the US is the Model 3, and it costs $40,000, which is too much for many consumers.
Tesla is the world’s largest manufacturer of electric vehicles, but demand for Chinese electric vehicles has also increased in recent years. The largest company among them is BYD, and its profit increased five times in the first quarter.
A spokesman for China’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday that the country welcomes visits by foreign companies to understand China and enhance mutual cooperation.