Elon Musk has voiced his opinion about China-Taiwan relations, and the Taiwanese are not impressed, according to CNBC.
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Tesla CEO Elon Musk smiles as he addresses guests at the Offshore Northern Seas 2022 (ONS) meeting in Stavanger, Norway on August 29, 2022. - The meeting, held in Stavanger from August 29 to September 1, 2022, presents the latest developments in Norway and internationally related to the energy, oil and gas sector.
Musk suggested an arrangement in which China would have some form of control over Taiwan. Beijing views Taiwan as a renegade province that should e reunified with the mainland. In fact, China is willing to use force when necessary.
According to Financial Times, Musk's recommendation "would be to figure out a special administrative zone for Taiwan that is reasonably palatable, probably won't make everyone happy." He continued, "And it's possible, and I think probably, in fact, that they could have an arrangement that's more lenient than Hong Kong."
One Country, Two Systems
Hong Kong, which is a part of China, has been running under a policy of one country and two systems since 1997. This lets the city run as a semi-autonomous region under Beijing's rule.
Therefore, Musk's suggestion has been praised by Beijing yet criticized by Taiwan. Qin Gang, the ambassador of China to the US, thanked Musk for his suggestion of having a special administrative zone for Taiwan. The ambassador also added that Taiwan would have a high degree of autonomy and a huge space for development.
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Taiwan Isn't Up for It
Taiwan has rejected the one country, two systems arrangement many times now. And it doesn't look like they will change their mind soon. Tsai Ing-wen, the President of Taiwan, delivered a National Day address but did not reference Musk's comments but discussed its relations with China.
He said that they are willing to work with Beijing authorities provided there is rationality, equality, and mutual respect. Additionally, he said that they are willing to find a mutually agreeable arrangement with the country.
Musk and Geopolitics
Musk is known to share his opinions on geopolitics and political matters. He has been a vocal critic of Trump's trade tariffs with China. Musk isn't just sharing his opinions on Twitter. He is confidently on China's side when it comes to global affairs. It seems that he's willing to do whatever he can to make it happen.
This comes as no surprise as Musk's company, Tesla, is working closely with China to build affordable electric vehicles. This is in hopes of improving the company's sales in the country. China is known to be one of Tesla's biggest markets in Asia.
Additionally, his gigafactory is based in China, which is why it's not a surprise that he's showing his support for the country.
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Written by April Fowell
