Musk on 'China Military Tesla Ban': "If Spy Allegations Are True, We'll Shut Down"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Yoon-joo] Amid reports that some Chinese military units have banned the use of Tesla vehicles within military facilities due to concerns over espionage activities, Elon Musk, Tesla's CEO, has directly denied these claims.

On the 20th, Musk attended the China Development Forum (CDF) held in Beijing via video conference and stated, "If Tesla vehicles were used for espionage activities anywhere, including China, we would shut down the (factory)," according to the Hong Kong media outlet South China Morning Post (SCMP).

He emphasized, "We have a very strong incentive to keep all information confidential."

Regarding the espionage allegations against TikTok raised in the United States, he said, "I think it is an unnecessary concern," stressing mutual trust.

Earlier, a notice circulated online in China stating that a certain Chinese military unit had banned Tesla vehicles from entering and parking in military housing complexes and other areas due to concerns over military secret leaks and security threats.

This was due to worries that cameras and ultrasonic sensors embedded in Tesla vehicles could reveal the vehicle’s location and collect sensitive information in ways uncontrollable by the Chinese government.

Tesla has been operating a factory in Shanghai since 2018, and about 30% of Tesla’s global sales last year came from China, highlighting the importance of the Chinese market.

SCMP cited an anonymous source saying that this measure was implemented a few weeks ago and reflects concerns of the Chinese leadership. The source also added that Musk might visit China next month.

Bloomberg reported that Tesla’s China branch and the Chinese Ministry of National Defense have not issued official statements regarding these matters.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.