Elon Musk Praises Xi Jinping as ‘Great Leader’ Ahead of High-Stakes U.S.-China Summit

POLICY WIRE — Shanghai, China — Tesla Inc. Chief Executive Elon Musk has publicly lauded Chinese President Xi Jinping, labeling him a “great leader” during an interview aired Wednesday on the state-run television network CCTV.

Musk credited the Chinese president for the nation’s significant economic advancement, citing visible improvements in infrastructure and urban development. He remarked that Under his tenure, China has prospered immensely, noting that the rising prosperity of the average citizen is evident to anyone walking the streets.

These remarks arrive just before a scheduled state dinner hosted by President Donald Trump for Xi this Thursday. Reports indicate that Musk is slated to attend the event, which marks the second summit this year between the heads of the world’s two largest economies.

Beyond political commentary, Musk expressed strong confidence in his company’s local workforce, describing the team at Tesla’s primary production hub in Shanghai as “incredibly talented, hardworking and trustworthy.” He further characterized the facility as “a gem and it is beautiful, actually, if anyone’s ever been there.”

The Shanghai plant remains Tesla’s most significant global export center. Recent data shows that August sales for the Model 3 and Model Y vehicles manufactured at the site grew by 3.6% compared to the previous year, a figure that indicates a notable slowdown from July’s performance.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)