Clips of Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk went viral across social media after he was seen pulling faces at a state dinner hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday while posing for pictures with Chinese business leaders.
Musk's Dinner Antics Spread Across Social Media
In one widely shared clip, Musk was approached by Lei Jun, CEO of Chinese smartphone and electric-vehicle maker Xiaomi Corp. (OTC:XIACY) (OTC:XIACF), for a photo. Musk puffed out his cheeks in a jokingly exasperated gesture before posing with an exaggerated pout. Other footage showed Musk posing for a selfie with outgoing Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) CEO Tim Cook while darting his eyes with a startled expression.
During the dinner, which featured Beijing roast duck and beef ribs, Musk was seen taking selfies, rolling his eyes and frequently turning around to capture 360-degree videos on his phone as attendees gathered around him for photos.
Trump Brings CEOs To Beijing Dinner
Musk traveled to Beijing aboard Air Force One as part of a high-level U.S. corporate delegation accompanying President Donald Trump. Reuters reported that the business group included Musk, Apple's Cook, NVIDIA Corp. (NASDAQ:NVDA) CEO Jensen Huang and Boeing Co. (NYSE:BA) CEO Kelly Ortberg.
"I will be asking President Xi, a Leader of extraordinary distinction, to ‘open up' China so that these brilliant people can work their magic, and help bring the People's Republic to an even higher level," Trump wrote in a May 12 Truth Social post.
Musk's China Ties Remain Closely Watched
Musk's presence, along with other U.S. business leaders, gave the state dinner a corporate dimension as Washington and Beijing sought to stabilize trade ties. Xi told U.S. executives that China's market would "only open wider and wider," according to a Financial Times report.
It is unclear whether Musk traveled with Trump for a specific business objective. Musk has visited China before, including in 2023, when he praised the country's technological development and visited Tesla's Gigafactory in Shanghai. Reuters noted on Thursday that Tesla remains deeply tied to China, one of its most important markets for production and sales, while Musk retains a large following on Chinese social media.
Photo: Frederic Legrand – COMEO from Shutterstock
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