China says it's striving to create a better environment for foreign businesses and is actively welcoming them as long comply with its laws and regulations, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs told CNN in response to questions about the alleged Tesla vehicle ban in the country’s military areas.
The ministry stressed that it was not aware of the specifics of the Tesla case. "Any enterprise operating and investing overseas must comply with the laws and regulations of the host country. As long as foreign enterprises come to China to operate and invest in accordance with the law and regulations, China takes a welcoming and open attitude and is dedicated to creating a better business environment for enterprises of all countries," it told the agency.
Previously, several media outlets reported that Tesla vehicles were banned from China’s military facilities due to security concerns over the hardware – notably cameras – installed on those cars and SUVs. Fear were expressed that information that Beijing could not control may have been recorded and sent back to Tesla via the cars.
Musk also said during a televised address at a prominent Chinese forum that Tesla would be shut down in China, or anywhere else for this matter, if the company engaged in spying activities.
Tesla is a major player in China, the biggest market for electric vehicles in the world.
TikTok Trouble in the US
TikTok, the popular video-sharing app owned by China’s ByteDance, had trouble in the United States during the Trump administration, with the ex-POTUS waging a trade war against China.
Back then the US targeted ByteDance and WeChat's owner Tencent as well as dozens of other Chinese tech companies including big brands like Huawei, ZTE, SMIC, and Xiaomi over alleged national security concerns. Some of them were designated by the US as national security risks.
Under the Biden administration, the matter is still being reviewed and the app is not yet banned.
