In an interview with the Chinese state television channel CCTV on 23 September 2026, Elon Musk directly called Xi Jinping a "great leader," noting that under him China has "succeeded incredibly," while the Tesla team in Shanghai is "extremely talented, hardworking and reliable."
This statement came amid preparations for a second Trump–Xi summit in 2026 and on the eve of a state dinner at the White House. For Tesla, Shanghai remains its largest export hub and a key manufacturing center, where sales in August grew by 3,6 % year-on-year.
Over the years of operating in China, Musk has consistently demonstrated that commercial interests take priority over public rhetoric. He has repeatedly dismissed speculation about a possible spin-off of Tesla's Chinese assets, even in the context of a potential merger with SpaceX. The public image of a "rebel against the system" diverges here from the actual strategy: the company depends on the Chinese market and supply chain no less than on American contracts.
The event fits entirely into Musk's established pattern of behavior. When billions of dollars and access to the largest electric vehicle market are at stake, he chooses language that the Chinese authorities understand. His praise of Xi does not look spontaneous — it serves as insurance in case American policy toward China tightens under a second Trump administration.
Like the captain of a merchant ship who in a storm salutes the flag of any power, if only to pass through the strait, Musk pays his respects to the leader of the country where his main manufacturing base is located. Politics here is secondary — what comes first is the ability to keep building and selling cars.
In a broader sense, the moment shows how global corporations are forced to balance between two superpowers whose relations determine not only tariffs but the very possibility of doing business. For Musk, the choice is obvious: better to praise a leader than to lose a factory.
