China's Minister of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) Jin Zhuanglong met with Tesla CEO Elon Musk in Beijing on Wednesday. The two sides exchanged views on the development of new-energy vehicles (NEVs) and intelligent connected vehicles, according to a MIIT statement.

On Tuesday, Musk reportedly had a meeting with Zeng Yuqun, chairman of Chinese electric battery giant CATL, indicating the potential huge opportunities for businesses from China and the US to cooperate, despite Washington's reckless technology decoupling or de-risking maneuvers.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Zeng Yuqun, chairman of Chinese electric battery giant CATL, walk side by side in the lobby of a hotel. Photo: screenshot from social media platform

A photo of Musk and Zeng walking side by side in the lobby of a hotel is circulating on Chinese social media. As of press time, the two companies have not publicly confirmed the meeting.

According to industry analysts, the reported meeting between Musk and Zeng may include discussions on the supply of energy storage battery cells for Tesla's planned Megapack power storage plant in Shanghai, as well as the prospect of future cooperation in building battery factories in the US, Chinese news site thepaper.cn reported.

Tesla announced in April its plan to build its second megapack super factory for energy storage in Shanghai. According to the plan, it is likely to purchase lithium iron phosphate battery cells from CATL.

As a global frontrunner, CATL produces one-third of the world's electric vehicle batteries. CATL and Tesla had planned to build a battery factory in Texas, and the US EV maker had discussed plans with the White House and sought clarity on the Inflation Reduction Act rules rolled out by the Biden administration, according to a Bloomberg report in March.

Musk arrived in Beijing on Tuesday. At a meeting with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang in Beijing on Tuesday, Musk said that Tesla objects to "decoupling" and is willing to further expand business cooperation in China, according to a statement published on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

（Picture: Veer）