Tesla is suing critics and customers in China alike—and can count on its ties to the regime to tip the scales in its favor

Chinese Premier Li Qiang looks on during a signing ceremony with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. (Credit: Hagen Hopkins—Getty Images)

• Tesla is victorious in almost every court case thanks to a justice system that acts as the long arm of the Chinese Communist Party. "The odds are stacked against you,” the founder of Shanghai-based advisory firm Automobility told the AP.

Tesla has adopted an unusual strategy to defend its brand from critics in China.