‘Brother Ma’: Elon Musk welcomed in China with 16-course feast, praise from Chinese fans
By Bryan Ke
June 1, 2023
Tesla CEO Elon Musk was welcomed to China with a feast and praise from Chinese fans as he visited the country for the first time in three years.
Musk, 51, arrived in Beijing via private jet, where he met Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang just hours after landing on Tuesday, according to Reuters.
The SpaceX CEO also met with other officials, such as China’s Commerce Minister Wang Wentao and Industry Minister Jin Zhuanglong.
The trip also saw Musk visiting Tesla’s Shanghai factory, which first opened in 2018. Musk’s plane left the capital city for Shanghai on Wednesday, where he also met with Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, the sixth-highest-ranking official in the Chinese government, a source told Reuters.
Musk also reportedly received a warm welcome from Chinese social media users, with some even calling him “a pioneer,” “a global idol” and “Brother Ma.”
Musk joined Zeng Yuqun, the CEO of top battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL) for a 16-course dinner in Beijing, the menu for which was shared on Weibo.
Musk’s menu was reportedly customized to bear Tesla’s logo and two dark horses, a play on Musk’s Chinese character name. Accompanying those was a Chinese phrase that reportedly translates to “the horse that surges ahead of the pack.”
Fans also flocked to a Weibo poll of foods Musk must try during his visit to China, which received over 13,000 votes. Some of the suggested foods included a mung bean dish called douzhi, Peking duck and tang hulu, a popular street food that is essentially fruits covered with hardened sugar.
Although specific details of their conversation were not revealed, Qin said in a statement released by his office that he told Musk China is devoted to improving the country’s business environment for investors.
“We must step on the brake in time, avoid dangerous driving and be skillful at using the accelerator to promote mutually beneficial cooperation,” the foreign minister said.
Musk’s private jet reportedly took off from Shanghai’s Hongqiao Airport en route to Austin, Texas, on Thursday morning.
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