Erdoğan asks Musk to build Tesla factory in Türkiye

NEW YORK

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has called on tech tycoon Elon Musk to establish his next Tesla factory in Türkiye during a meeting in New York.

Turkish television showed Musk entering New York's Turkish House, a new skyscraper across from the United Nations building, with his three-year-old son, whom he held on his lap during the talks.

Musk, for his part, told Erdogan that his country was "among the most important candidates" for the new factory.

Turkish Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır, who attended the meeting, said Musk described Türkiye as “among the most important candidates for Tesla investment.”

During the meeting, Erdoğan also discussed potential cooperation between Musk’s space exploration firm SpaceX and Türkiye's space program.

Meanwhile, Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba plans to invest around $2 billion in Türkiye in the near future, according to a statement from Turkish e-commerce platform Trendyol, where Alibaba holds more than a 76 percent stake.

The intention was forwarded by the company's CEO Michael Evans during a meeting with Erdoğan in Istanbul on Sept. 15, following to a statement from the company. Evans was accompanied by Trendyol head Çağlayan Çetin during the talks.

The intention was forwarded by the company's CEO Michael Evans during a meeting with Erdoğan in Istanbul on Sept. 15, following to a statement from the company.

Evans was accompanied by Çağlayan Çetin, head of Turkish e-commerce platform Trendyol, where Alibaba holds more than a 76 percent stake.