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Musk brushes off spying concerns amid reports of Chinese military banning Tesla cars from bases

Sunday, 21 March 2021 10:51 AM [ Last Update: Sunday, 21 March 2021 10:51 AM ]

Tesla Inc Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk attends via video link a session at the China Development Forum held in Beijing, China March 20, 2021. (Photo by Reuters)

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has brushed off concerns that the company's electrical cars could be used for espionage purposes in China or anywhere else, saying using vehicles to spy would result in the company's closure in those countries.

Musk's remarks came in reaction to earlier reports that the Chinese military had banned Tesla cars from entering its complexes.

Reuters quoted unnamed sources as saying on Friday that the Chinese military believed the cameras installed on Tesla vehicles posed security risks.

"If Tesla used cars to spy in China or anywhere, we will get shut down," Musk told a prominent online Chinese forum on Saturday.

Musk, who was speaking on a panel with Xue Qikun, a Chinese quantum physicist who heads the Southern University of Science and Technology, argued that his company had every reason to guard information.

"There's a very strong incentive for us to be very confidential with any information," Musk told the forum.

Musk also called for greater mutual trust between the world's two biggest economies, the United States and China.

The reported ban on Tesla vehicles came to surface as top Chinese and US diplomats were holding a contentious meeting in Anchorage, Alaska.

Top US, China diplomats clash at first summit of Biden presidency

The first high-level meeting between officials from the two economic powerhouses kicked off with both sides trading barbs as senior American diplomats accused China of threatening world stability and Chinese officials accused the US of violating human rights and the mistreatment of Black citizens.

It was the first in-person interaction between Chinese and American officials since US President Joe Biden took office in January

Tesla sold nearly 150,000 electric vehicles - 30 percent of its global sales - in China last year. However, the company is facing stronger competition this year from Chinese rivals like Nio and Geely.

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