Elon Musk and Hu Xijin face off on Twitter as Tesla founder claps back at Chinese nationalist influencer over Russia-Ukraine war comments
- Hu accused Musk of believing too much in press freedom, saying ‘he will be taught a lesson’
- Musk is a much admired entrepreneur in China but is also seen by some as a potential national security threat
Elon Musk, founder and CEO of Tesla, has clashed on Twitter with a former Chinese newspaper editor known for his nationalistic views, embroiling himself in another public argument as he seeks to buy the social media platform.
Hu Xijin, former editor of nationalist tabloid Global Times, which is affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party’s mouthpiece the People’s Daily, commented in English that Musk “has released his personality too much” and believes too much in press freedom. “He will be taught a lesson,” Hu noted.
Hu’s comments were considerably more restrained than those of Ukraine’s outgoing ambassador to Germany, Andrij Melnyk, who wrote in response to Musk’s tweet, “F--- off is my very diplomatic reply to you.”
Although Twitter is banned in China, Hu is among a handful of senior Chinese voices who speak out on the platform, with his comments frequently scrutinised for clues as to how Beijing might be thinking.
Musk replied to Hu’s attack in Chinese with “a man with his hands in his pockets feels cocky all day”, a phrase attributed to the ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius, although Musk’s usage was not precise.
