Tesla CEO Elon Musk met with the Chinese foreign minister Tuesday amid high tensions between the U.S. and China.
China’s foreign minister Qin Gang said the strained relations between the U.S. and China require “mutual respect,” The Associated Press reported.
“We need to keep the steering wheel in the right direction of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation,” Qin told Musk, the AP reported, citing a ministry statement.
Qin, however, did not provide detailed steps as to how to improve the relations, the AP reported.
The foreign ministry also quoted Musk as calling the U.S. and Chinese economies “conjoined twins” and saying he was willing to expand business in China, Reuters reported.
The Hill reached out to Tesla for comment.
During his visit in China — his first in three years — Musk is expected to meet other senior Chinese officials and visit Tesla’s Shanghai plant, Reuters reported.
China is attempting to revive interest from investors.
Foreign companies have become increasingly uneasy after China’s chief foreign intelligence agency reportedly raided consulting firms and the ongoing strained relations between China and the United States, the AP reported.