A controversy between China and Taiwan has raged since the 1950s. Beijing, led by the Communist Party, claims sovereignty over the democratic, self-governed island of Taiwan. Elon Musk, the founder and CEO of SpaceX, has expressed concern about the potential conflict between the two countries. However, his comments have received a mixed reaction from both sides.
Elon Musk is a strong proponent of the idea of making Taiwan a special administrative area. The Tesla CEO has suggested that this is the solution to the China-Taiwan conflict, but Taiwan’s leaders did not appear to be thrilled with the idea. He has also weighed in on the escalating conflict between Russia and Ukraine, saying that a conflict in these areas could cause an estimated 30% damage to the global economy.
While he did not elaborate on his remarks, Musk did suggest that a resolution of the conflict could be reached through handing Taiwan back to Beijing. This could be a much lenient arrangement than the one the country has with Hong Kong. However, a conflict over Taiwan is inevitable, and the result could affect the growth of Apple, Tesla, and the wider US economy.
The Chinese government has long pledged to take Taiwan under its control and has said it would use force if necessary. However, Taiwan’s government rejects the Chinese claims and says the island’s 23 million people should decide its future. Earlier this year, Elon Musk had a Twitter spat with Ukrainian officials and suggested that a UN-supervised referendum be held in the occupied areas of Ukraine. This would allow the Russians to leave the country if the people wish it. This has received massive backlash from Ukrainians.
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