← Latest news 
Elon Musk faces China scrutiny after Trump Xi summit as Tesla rivalry and Starlink security fears collide
International
Published on 14 May 2026
A viral selfie moment showed Musk’s irritation in real time
Elon Musk arrives in China for a summit tied to US President Donald Trump and meets Xi Jinping amid a complicated mix of praise and backlash. Tesla’s tech leadership still inspires competitors as sales near 626,000 units, with China contributing about a fifth of revenue. Yet Musk also faces regulator and public criticism over customer complaints, while SpaceX’s Starlink alarms Beijing’s military planners. Musk must navigate intensifying domestic EV competition and China’s shifting security priorities.
- Musk travels with a US delegation to Beijing with Xi Jinping
- Tesla sold about 626,000 cars in China last year
- China accounts for roughly a fifth of Tesla’s revenue
- Tesla rivalry is narrowing as local makers match Tesla software and batteries
- Starlink’s satellite dominance worries China’s military about future hostilities
- Musk faced criticism in China tied to alleged customer complaint mishandling
Read the full story at The Economic Times
This summarization was done by Beige for a story published on 
The Economic Times