Taiwan has emphatically conveyed to billionaire Elon Musk that it is “not available for purchase” following his assertion that the island is a part of China. In response to Mr. Musk’s comparison of Taiwan to Hawaii and its status as an “integral part” of China during a business summit, Taiwan’s foreign minister, Joseph Wu, declared, “Listen up, Taiwan is not part of the PRC [People’s Republic of China] & certainly not for sale!”
Tensions between Beijing and Taiwan, a self-governing entity claimed by China, have escalated over the past year. China has routinely conducted air and naval exercises in the vicinity of Taiwan, flexing its military muscle in the region. Taiwan reported the presence of over 40 Chinese military aircraft and approximately 10 ships in its waters during one such episode this week.
This is not the first instance of Mr. Musk, who maintains business interests in China, causing consternation within Taiwan’s government with his remarks. In October, he suggested that the dispute between Beijing and Taipei could be resolved by granting China some degree of control over Taiwan, proposing a “reasonably palatable” arrangement. While China’s ambassador to the US praised Mr. Musk’s comments, his Taiwanese counterpart echoed Foreign Minister Wu’s sentiment, asserting that freedom is “not negotiable.”
Mr. Wu also posted on X (formerly known as Twitter): “Hope Elon Musk can also ask the CCP [Chinese Community Party] to open X to its people,” highlighting the fact that Mr. Musk’s micro-blogging platform is banned in China.
Previously, Mr. Wu had claimed that China’s military exercises were designed to influence Taiwan’s January elections, emphasizing that the choice rested with Taiwanese citizens and not external pressure.
Elon Musk’s electric car company, Tesla, operates a significant manufacturing facility in Shanghai, and his interactions with top Chinese officials during his visit in May were noteworthy. The Chinese foreign ministry stated that Tesla was eager to expand its operations in the country.
Mr. Musk’s visit to China garnered attention, given the deteriorating relations between China and the US in recent years. Although high-level dialogue between the two countries resumed, disagreements on numerous issues persist, with Taiwan emerging as a major point of contention. The United States has long been Taiwan’s primary ally.
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