Elon Musk has been granted special privileges by China, according to certain individuals who used to work at Tesla, along with government officials and diplomats.
In a report published on Wednesday, March 27, they described the symbiotic relationship between the Chinese government and Elon Musk.
Elon Musk Has Special Privileges in China
According to Business Insider's latest report, ex-Tesla employees, policymakers, and diplomats shared how the Chinese government offered concessions to the billionaire.
They claimed that China did this so that a Tesla manufacturing plant would be constructed in Shanghai. Among the special offers that China gave Elon Musk allegedly include low-interest loans, changed Tesla ownership rules, and a new emissions credit policy.
Now, the Tesla Giga Shanghai is a success, accounting for over 50% of Tesla's deliveries worldwide. In return, Tesla is benefiting from China because of the country's low car production costs.
China's Special Privileges Could Backfire
Some US lawmakers are concerned about the special privileges Elon Musk receives from China. Experts explained that these could leave the billionaire vulnerable to leverage from Beijing, as reported by Yahoo News.
American lawmakers further stated that Elon Musk's connection with China could be an issue since he owns SpaceX, a satellite firm with valuable contracts with the Pentagon.
As of this writing, Elon Musk has not commented on the revelations about the special privileges he receives from China.
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