China is one of the most important consumer, industrial, and raw materials markets in the world. They also happen to be a bad actor in terms of environmental practices and human rights. Companies looking to do business in China need to go in with their eyes wide open, prepared to handle a complicated set of decisions and PR maneuvers.
That is the backdrop for a very odd set of circumstances that played out at the 2023 China Automobile Forum in early July. Tesla was one of 16 EV companies - the only non-Chinese manufacturer, in fact - to sign a four point pledge that includes an agreement to adhere to “core socialist values.”
In this episode of Dial P, Kelly Barner:
