Chinese social media users think Elon Musk should join the Communist Party if he's serious about selling his Tesla shares to solve world hunger
- Chinese social media users suggested that Elon Musk apply to join the Chinese Communist Party.
- Musk said this week that he would sell Tesla stock if the UN can prove how $6 billion can solve world hunger.
Chinese social media users are suggesting that Elon Musk make an application to join the Chinese Communist Party if he is serious about selling off Tesla stock to solve the worldwide hunger crisis.
People on Weibo were responding to a conversation between Musk and UN World Food Programme Director David Beasley. Beasley appeared on CNN last week and said that a $6 billion donation - a fraction of Musk's more than $300 billion worth - could save the lives of 42 million starving people. In response, Musk tweeted that he would sell his Tesla stock and donate the cash to the UN if the organization could prove how the money would be used.
Musk requested in a tweet chain that the UN World Food Program prove with "open source accounting" how his money would solve world hunger.
Musk posted the comments on October 31, but a translated version made its way to Weibo, China's version of Twitter, on November 2.
Chinese web users cheekily responded to Musk's tweet with suggestions that he make an application to join the Communist Party immediately. Some Weibo users explained that Musk giving up his wealth would be entirely in line with China's drive to create a "common prosperity" that has seen Chinese tycoons facing increased regulation.
"Musk has heaven's mandate to join the Party," wrote a Weibo user with the ID XingYu SY_L in a comment on Musk's Weibo post.
"We welcome our teacher, Elon Musk, to the Party. May we build a unified, equal, and peaceful world together!" commented another Weibo user with the ID GongShiZhiWang.
But while some Weibo users might be open to the idea of Musk becoming a card-carrying Communist Party member, he is unable to make that application because he is not a Chinese citizen.
Musk has previously expressed his admiration for China and its governing party. On the occasion of the Party's centenary in July, Musk tweeted praise of the Party, writing: "The economic prosperity that China has achieved is truly amazing, especially in infrastructure! I encourage people to visit and see for themselves,"
Musk has in the past also criticized people living in America's Bay Area, Los Angeles, and New York for being entitled and complacent while praising the Chinese for being smart and hard-working.
"China rocks, in my opinion. The energy in China is great," Musk said during a podcast last July. "When you've been winning for too long you sort of take things for granted. The United States, and especially like California and New York, you've been winning for too long."