Musk's relationship with Trump has fueled expectations that he could soften U.S. policy toward Beijing, but experts caution against putting too much stock into the Tesla CEO.

Musk has considerable business interests in China through his electric vehicle company Tesla, making him one of the few people in the world with a line to both Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. That gives Xi a “friend with influence” in Washington,

Chinese observers say Beijing needs to stick to its own milestones and avoid getting into a race with the US if possible.