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Chinese state media called out Elon Musk this week for responding to a post about the origin of the coronavirus, potentially signaling strained relations between the Tesla CEO and the country where many of the cars’ parts are manufactured.
The Global Times, a state-backed newspaper known for its hawkish takes on U.S.-China relations, posted an essay on social media this week criticizing Musk for advancing a “conspiracy theory” about the coronavirus.
“At the same time, these remarks of his have been continuously used by those US right-wing and anti-China media hostile to China as material to frame China,” the publication wrote.
Musk was responding to a tweet that brought up an unfounded conspiracy theory that Anthony S. Fauci, the former chief medical adviser to President Biden, funded the creation of the coronavirus.
“He did it via a pass-through organization (EcoHealth),” Musk responded in a tweet. Musk has previously pushed back on covid restrictions during the pandemic and called for Fauci to be prosecuted. He also said last year that China’s “zero covid policy,” which was relaxed at the end of last year, made business difficult for Tesla.