Tesla Causes Uproar Over New Dealership Opening In Xinjiang

The opening was announced on Tesla's Weibo post during New Year's Eve


Teckwai Saw

6 Jan, 2022

Tesla Causes Uproar Over New Dealership Opening In Xinjiang | BEAMSTART News

- From our Sponsors -

On New Year's Eve, Tesla announced on Chinese social media network Weibo, that it has opened a new showroom in Urumqi.

Urumqi which is a region of Xinjiang, is home to the Uyghurs, ethnic minorities who are Muslims in general.

Tesla's Weibo post roughly translates to: “Urumqi Tesla Center officially opened! On the last day of 2021, we meet in Xinjiang. In 2022, let’s begin Xinjiang’s journey on its electric journey! Let's hope for the best in the near future!"

Provoked Criticism From Various Parties

Tesla's action definitely was not taken lightly and has provoked criticism from various US rights and trade groups, which worsens the already existing tensions related to the far-western Chinese region.

Latest Jobs

Senior Recruiter

Giga

California,

Full Time

USD 110000 — USD 170000 yearly

Founding Product Designer

Reacher

Full Time

USD 115000 — USD 175000 yearly

Full Stack Engineer

Entangl

California,

Full Time

USD 120000 — USD 170000 yearly

Account Executive

Novoflow

California,

Full Time

USD 200000 — USD 250000 yearly

Technical Account Manager

CozmoX AI

Full Time

USD 50000 — USD 120000 yearly

Founding AI Engineer

Cekura

California,

Full Time

USD 120000 — USD 180000 yearly

Founding Ops

Vitalize

California,

Full Time

USD 140000 — USD 180000 yearly

Chief of Staff

Roundtable

California,

Full Time

USD 70000 — USD 95000 yearly

Founding Engineer

Paradigm

California,

Full Time

USD 150000 — USD 250000 yearly

The Council on American-Islamic Relations has urged for the new dealership's immediate closure, and “cease what amounts to economic support for genocide”.

In the recent years, Xinjiang is reported to be undergoing a long campaign of forced assimilation by Chinese authorities against the Uyghurs.

As a result, this issue has become a significant disagreement between many Western governments and China.

It is estimated by UN experts and rights groups that as many as one million people, mainly Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities, have been detained in the said Xinjiang reeducation centres.

China, however, has dismissed those claims as “lies and disinformation” and has rejected accusations of forced labour or abuses in Xinjiang.

- Featured Sponsor -

Pressure On Foreign Companies

The pressure on foreign companies to take sides especially on politically charged issues has been on the rise.

Just last month, global semiconductor chip manufacturer, Intel apologized after being scrutinized by the state media for asking suppliers to avoid sourcing goods or services from the Xinjiang region.

Intel stated the request was a matter of compliance with the US regulation and the action did not represent its stance on Xinjiang.

To date, Tesla has yet to comment on the uproar it caused.

- From our Sponsors -

Latest Jobs

Frontend Engineering Intern

vly.ai

California,

Internship

USD 5200 — USD 8700 yearly

Summer Software Engineering Intern (now and Summer 2026)

Browser Use

California,

Internship

USD 6000 — USD 16000 yearly

Account Executive/GTM

Solve Intelligence

England,

Full Time

USD 100000 — USD 200000 yearly

ML Research Engineer

Zoa Research

New York,

Full Time

USD 150000 — USD 300000 yearly

Founding Engineer

Zaymo

Utah,

Full Time

USD 80000 — USD 180000 yearly

Founding Engineer

Lendtable

New York,

Full Time

USD 160000 — USD 190000 yearly

Computer Vision Internship/Co-Op Fall 2025

Yondu

California,

Internship

USD 9000 — USD 15000 yearly

Product Engineer

Adaptyv

Vaud,

Full Time

Salary Undisclosed

Full-Stack Engineers (London)

Heron Data

England,

Full Time

USD 65000 — USD 150000 yearly

Founding Account Manager

Hadrius

New York,

Full Time

USD 130000 — USD 180000 yearly

BEAMSTART is a hub for everything Startups, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation. Connect with a global community of people, and stay updated with the latest startup jobs, news, and discussions.

 
© 2016 - 2025 BEAMSTART. All Rights Reserved (Legal).