Featured Image Credit: Papayoung/Wikimedia Commons [CC BY-SA 3.0] Photo has been modified.

Tesla China’s Global Vice President Grace Tao met with officials from the Chongqing Liangjiang District to talk about a new project concerning Tesla. Tao met with a member of the Standing Committee of the Chongqing Municipal Party, the Secretary of the Party Working Committee of Liangjiang New District, and the Director of the Management Committee.

Duan Chenggang—a member of the Standing Committee of Chongqing Municipal Party—noted that Tesla was a global leader in new energy vehicles, which boded well for the American EV automaker’s new project in China. Chenggang also said that Liangjiang New Area had many ways to support Tesla and good prospects.

Grace Tao and the officials of Chongqing wish to expand their business relationship and engage in more collaborative projects in the future. Liangjiang New District said it would do its best to create good conditions and provide quality services.

Chongqing Liangjiang New District does seem open to working with Tesla and have reached a broad consensus to accelerate the new project Grace Tao discussed during the meeting. However, the details of Tesla’s new project have not been divulged.

Tesla Giga Shanghai Model 3 Production Surpassed 4,000 Per Week With Two Shifts https://t.co/L4ko68orJn

— Tesmanian.com (@Tesmanian_com) July 8, 2020

Even though the project’s details haven’t been clarified, it is clear that Chongqing could be instrumental to Tesla China’s growth in the future. Chongqing is strategically located in China, as such, it has become an inland trading hub. It has access to multiple transit lines—trains, highways, airports—making it an ideal place for suppliers. Chongqing happens to be one of the older industrial bases in China with ties to the automobile industry as well.

The municipality mainly concentrated on motorcycle parts in the past but has been steadily transitioned to manufacturing car parts for the last 5 to 10 years. Chongqing also happens to be transitioning to green manufacturing practices. The city government implemented a 3-year plan in 2018 to shift to green manufacturing.

Other than its strategic location, ties to the automobile industry, and green manufacturing practices, Grace Tao’s personal appearance in Chongqing hints that Tesla’s new project will significantly contribute to the EV automaker’s growth in China. The presence of Tesla China’s Global VP at the meeting speaks volumes about Chongqing and its role in the EV automaker’s plans for the future.