Tesla’s Elon Musk plans first visit to China since COVID-19, seeks meeting with Premier

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Reuters reports Friday, citing people familiar with the situation, that Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO, Elon Musk is making plans to visit China as early as April, and is seeking a meeting with China’s Premier Li Qiang. The exact timing of the visit is subject to Li Qiang’s availability, one of the sources said.

A visit by Musk would mark his first visit to China since the COVID-19 pandemic and since Xi Jinping secured a third term as China’s president. Before Li became premier in March, he served as Shanghai’s party secretary where he oversaw the construction and opening of the Tesla factory.

The sources did not say what Musk intends to discuss with Li or do in China. However, Musk’s planned visit comes as China is trying to encourage more foreign investment to help shore up an economy battered by three years of COVID curbs. Li has been at the forefront of that effort, speaking over the past week at business events attended by the likes of Apple’s Tim Cook and Pfizer’s Albert Bourla.

Shares of TSLA are up 0.44% in premarket trading on Friday.