Tesla Gigafactory Shanghai's working model benefits both China, U.S.: California governor

SHANGHAI, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- The working model of Tesla Gigafactory Shanghai has benefited both China and the United States, said Gavin Newsom, governor of the U.S. state of California, during his visit to the factory on Sunday.

Newsom test-drove the upgraded Model 3, which was manufactured at Gigafactory Shanghai and has supplied multiple markets in the Asia-Pacific and Europe.

Newsom expressed appreciation for the China-U.S. cooperation model, noting that "during the day, the engineers (in Shanghai) are working on the new models, while during the evening, they shift over and transfer to the United States because they are awake. So this rotation, 24/7 collaborative spirit, back and forth, is healthy."

Newsom described the role of Tesla Gigafactory Shanghai in the cooperation between two countries as "demonstrable," as it has created employment opportunities and demonstrated an entrepreneurial spirit of innovation.

"The advantages here are self-evident, not only in terms of the supply chains but also the technology in terms of improving quality constantly. That is beneficial to both countries, certainly to the state of California," he added.

Newsom is also optimistic about the future of self-driving cars, saying that Tesla's R&D headquarters in California focuses on autonomous driving and artificial intelligence. He stressed that autonomous driving is the future.