(Yicai) April 29 -- Tesla's Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk made an unexpected trip to China to meet with Premier Li Qiang just days after postponing a scheduled visit to India.

During his meeting with Musk, Li said Tesla's development in China is a successful example of economic and trade development between the country and the United States China Central Television reported. China's huge market will always remain open to investment by foreign enterprises, he added.

China will honor its commitments and continue to expand market access, enhance service guarantees, and provide a better business environment and stronger comprehensive support for foreign enterprises, allowing them to invest in China with more confidence and assurance, Li noted.

“Honored to meet with Premier Li Qiang,” Musk posted on Weibo and X yesterday evening. “We have known each other now for many years, since early Shanghai days.”

Li was the Chinese Communist Party secretary in Shanghai from 2017 to 2022, when Tesla set up its first overseas gigafactory in the city. The plant came online in late 2019.

Musk said he was pleased to see the progress in electric vehicles in China. Tesla's Shanghai factory was the company's best-performing plant thanks to the hard work and wisdom of the Chinese team, he pointed out, noting that Tesla is willing to further deepen cooperation with China.

On April 20, the Tesla founder canceled a planned visit to India for April 21 to 22. He was scheduled to meet with Prime Minster Prime Minister Narendra Modi and unveil plans to enter the Indian market, according to the Times of India.

“Unfortunately, very heavy obligations require that the visit to India be delayed, but I do very much look forward to visiting later this year,” Musk said on X.

Editor: Futura Costaglione