Tesla Focuses on China, Expands PR and Legal Teams

[Photo by Reuters]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] U.S. electric vehicle company Tesla Motors plans to expand its public relations and legal teams in China, Bloomberg reported on the 17th (local time).

Tesla announced on its WeChat account that it is recruiting personnel responsible for government-related affairs in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Nanjing, and other cities. Tesla also stated that it is hiring managers to handle public relations tasks in Shanghai, Nanjing, Shenzhen, Xi'an, Shenyang, and other locations.

Amid signs of worsening public opinion in China this year and tightening regulations by Chinese authorities, Tesla appears to be expanding its workforce as a response measure.

China is an important market for Tesla. Of the 500,000 vehicles sold last year, 30% were sold in China.

However, Tesla has faced unexpected setbacks in China this year. At the Shanghai Auto Show in April, a Tesla owner staged a sudden protest, claiming issues with the brakes. This escalated into some boycott movements, causing Tesla's sales in China to plummet in April. Sales later showed signs of recovery but sharply declined again last month. Tesla's vehicle shipments in the Chinese market last month recorded 8,621 units, a 69% decrease compared to June.

Surveillance by Chinese authorities has also intensified. This year alone, five Chinese agencies have summoned Tesla officials over quality and safety concerns.

In March, Chinese authorities instructed military personnel and some state-owned enterprise employees not to use Tesla vehicles, citing concerns that sensitive information could be leaked through Tesla cars' cameras and sensors. Additionally, last week, the Chinese government strengthened related regulations by restricting the overseas transfer of information collected through smart cars operating within the country.

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