Musk opposes US tariffs on Chinese electric cars

Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla, has taken a stand against the recent increase in US tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs). This decision comes shortly after President Joe Biden quadrupled the levies on EVs imported from China. Musk made it clear that neither Tesla nor himself had requested these tariffs. He emphasized that he is in favor of no tariffs, stating that Tesla competes quite well in the Chinese market with no tariffs and no differential support. This stance is in contrast to his previous warning in January, where he had stated that Chinese car makers would 'demolish' competitors from other countries if there were no trade barriers. The White House, however, defended the new measures as a response to unfair policies and an effort to protect US jobs. Musk expressed his surprise at the announcement of the tariffs, stating that things that inhibit freedom of exchange or distort the market are not good. President Biden has maintained several tariffs on China introduced by his predecessor, Donald Trump, while also increasing trade pressure on Beijing. He recently vowed to not let China 'unfairly control the market' for electric vehicles and other key goods, including batteries, computer chips, and basic medical supplies. China, in response, expressed its opposition to the tariff hikes and indicated that it would take retaliatory measures.