China dismisses speculation it may try to influence Twitter via Tesla

BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday there was no basis to speculation that Beijing could try to use leverage over electric car maker Tesla Inc in order to influence content on U.S. social media site Twitter Inc.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin was responding to a question during a regular daily briefing on Tuesday, after Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk struck a deal on Monday to buy Twitter.

Roughly half the cars Tesla sold globally last year were made at its plant in Shanghai.