Tesla CEO Elon Musk just wrapped up his long-awaited China visit after reportedly not being there since 2020. He had various meetings with officials, though he ended the trip with a brief stop at Giga Shanghai, as expected.
Elon Musk doesn't hide his admiration for the work ethic and his rivals in China, nor does he shy away from praising his executive team and employees there. What was not long ago a "muddy field" is now home to one of the most productive EV facilities in the world, producing Tesla's electric cars and SUVs for the domestic market and for export.
While Musk has also made it clear that there are many issues in China, and that we should definitely be concerned about the US' relationship with the country, he was wise to get into the transitioning auto market there, and it appears the timing was right. Not only is China home to the largest car market in the world, but also an example of what others should be doing when it comes to adopting EVs.
At any rate, there are some clips of Musk's speech at the China factory being shared on social media. Musk arrived with Tesla's top brass in China, Grace Tao and Tom Zhu, right in the midst of busy times at the factory. He then moved to deliver some very touching words to his employees:
The CEO's words clearly speak for themselves here. However, after all the times we've heard that Musk is perhaps a mean and ruthless boss or a man with no compassion, it's refreshing to listen to what he has to say and to see the workers' reactions.
Musk is clearly impressed with the progress in China, which has all come amid tons of adversity and turmoil. He shared:
“I would like to very much congratulate you on the amazing work that you’ve done. It’s been incredibly impressive how you’ve been able to overcome so many difficulties and many challenges. It warms my heart, you know. And I tell people throughout the world — the cars we produce here are not just the most efficient in production, but the highest quality.”
The Tesla CEO went on to emphasize his happiness with how much gets accomplished at the China factory. He noted Giga Shanghai's "positive energy," the drive to get things done, and the impact it's going to have for Tesla and on the rest of the world. Musk also tweeted the following:
