‘He will be taught a lesson’: Chinese media is fuming at Elon Musk’s latest push to fix the world

Elon Musk’s latest push to fix the world has attracted heavy scrutiny from a number of global bigwigs, from Ukraine’s President to Chinese media officials.  

Elon Musk has continued to agitate global media figures in his latest push to offer solutions to geopolitical issues, including the war in Ukraine.

Hu Xijin, a commentator for Chinese state-backed publication The Global Times, took aim at the business magnate for attempting to sway political decisions, ominously warning the world’s richest man would be “taught a lesson”.

In his latest online controversy, Musk claimed peace between Ukraine and Russia could be achieved by redoing “elections of annexed regions under UN supervision”, with Russia to leave “if that is the will of the people”.

In addition, he proposed that Crimea be formally recognised as part of Russia “as it has been since 1783 (until Khrushchev’s mistake)”, and that “water supply to Crimea” be assured.

Under Musk’s rough framework, Ukraine would remain “neutral”.

Musk has also generated controversy for his stance against governments blocking Russian news sources via his Starlink internet service. Musk — who has this week re-launched his bid to purchase Twitter — says he is a free speech absolutist.

His oftentimes erratic use of his far-reaching platform has also rubbed officials the wrong way. As one of the most followed and wealthy individuals on planet Earth, his ability to sway opinion is matched by few.

However, even his vocal support for freedom of speech has come under fire, with Global Times mouthpiece Xijin warning the world’s richest man that he places too much faith in basic Western ideals.

“Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy,” Musk wrote in a column in April.

Elon Musk has released his personality too much, and he believes too much in the US and West’s “freedom of speech.” He will be taught a lesson. pic.twitter.com/nv4VU7rFIv

— Hu Xijin 胡锡进 (@HuXijin_GT) October 4, 2022

Starlink has been told by some governments (not Ukraine) to block Russian news sources. We will not do so unless at gunpoint.

Sorry to be a free speech absolutist.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 5, 2022

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky also shot back at Musk’s recent opinion on how to end the conflict with minimal further violence, accusing him of supporting Russia in a Twitter poll.

Ukranian diplomat and lawyer Andrij Melnyk went even further, writing: “F**k off is my very diplomatic reply to you [Elon Musk].”

Musk has spent US$80 million via SpaceX this year on providing satellite internet for Ukraine, who has faced ongoing attacks from Russia on its communications networks.

Musk has also recently been accused of hypocrisy for contributing to a Chinese-backed publication, which some believe runs opposite to his so called “free speech” advocacy.

Others believe Musk’s strong business ties with China — the world’s leading market for electric vehicles — are proof he only supports free speech when it benefits him.

Elon Musk has continued to agitate global media figures in his latest push to offer solutions to geopolitical issues, including the war in Ukraine.

Musk on Tuesday offered to push through with his buyout of Twitter at the original agreed price, as a trial over his efforts to withdraw from the deal loomed.

The world’s richest man said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that he sent Twitter a letter vowing to honour the contract.

He has outlined a rough blueprint for what the platform would look like under his name, explaining how he wanted it to operate as “the everything app” by adding extra services, similar to social media platforms used in Asia.

“I do sort of have a grander vision for what I thought X.com, or X corporation, could have been back in the day,” Musk said at the shareholder meeting.

“I think Twitter would help accelerate that by three to five years.”

The latest twist in the long-running saga came ahead of the high-stakes court battle launched by Twitter in an attempt to hold the Tesla chief to the deal he signed in April.

Musk’s potential takeover has sparked worry from online pearl-clutchers who fear he could open the gates to more abusive and misinformative posts.

However, many still believe Musk is an iconoclastic genius and will help reshape online discourse for years to come with his acquisition of Twitter.

Claiming to be a free speech advocate, he has said he favoured lifting the site’s ban on Donald Trump, who was kicked off shortly after the former president’s efforts to overturn his election defeat led to the January 6, 2021 assault on the US Capitol by his supporters.

“Musk made it clear that he would roll back Twitter’s community standards and safety guidelines, reinstate Donald Trump along with scores of other accounts suspended for violence and abuse, and open the floodgates of disinformation,” said Angelo Carusone, president of watchdog group Media Matters for America.

“In effect, Musk will turn Twitter into a fever swamp of dangerous conspiracy theories, partisan chicanery, and operationalised harassment.”