Tesla’s Success in China Underscores Potential for US-China Collaboration: Minister

Despite US-China relations being at a “historical low,” Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang pointed to the achievements of companies like Tesla and Fuyao Glass in China as evidence that collaboration between the two countries remains viable, reports the South China Morning Post.

Qin warned against US efforts to suppress China’s development through economic decoupling and technology containment, stating that such actions would backfire.

As an example of successful cooperation, Qin referred to Tesla’s Shanghai Gigafactory, which produced a car every 45 seconds and delivered 74,000 vehicles in February alone.

Back in October 2019, Tesla was granted the go-ahead to build a factory in China, the first fully-owned foreign auto plant in the nation. The deal was seen as a way for China to open up its car industry to outsiders. The Giga Shanghai factory now produces Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y.

The factory’s success has made Tesla a dominant player in China’s new energy vehicle market. He also mentioned Fuyao Glass, China’s leading industrial glass manufacturer, which has directly created nearly 2,000 jobs in Ohio and contributed to 6,000 jobs in the entire supply chain.

Qin emphasized that the Tesla and Fuyao Glass examples show how “Made in China” and “Made in the United States” can mutually benefit from learning from each other, rather than engaging in a zero-sum, win-lose competition. Amid increasing restrictions on Chinese firms by the US, such as limiting access to advanced technology, the minister called for countries to resolve conflicts through dialogue and consultation.

Tesla recently launched deliveries of its Model S and Model X in mainland China, with vehicles imported from the company’s Fremont, California factory.