US President Donald Trump is currently in Beijing for a high-profile summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, as both countries continue crucial discussions on trade, technology and rising global tensions. Accompanying Trump during the visit are several prominent American business leaders, including Elon Musk, Tim Cook and Jensen Huang.
While the diplomatic discussions remain serious, an unexpected moment involving Musk has now become one of the most talked-about highlights from the visit.
A short clip from the official welcome ceremony in Beijing has gone viral across social media platforms. In the video, Musk is seen standing among officials and business delegates ahead of Trump's formal event with Xi.
However, instead of quietly waiting with the delegation, the Tesla chief appeared completely engrossed in recording the surroundings on his mobile phone. Holding his phone high in the air, Musk slowly turned in circles, seemingly trying to capture a full 360-degree video of the grand ceremony venue.
The clip showed Musk carefully pointing his camera in different directions as he attempted to film every angle around him. Dressed in a formal black suit, he stood among senior officials while continuing to rotate with his phone raised, creating a candid and unusually relaxed moment during an otherwise tightly choreographed diplomatic event.
The video quickly drew attention online, with many users joking that Musk looked more like an excited tourist than one of the world's most influential business executives.
"I imagine the intelligence services of both sides hacking each other's communications," one social media user joked.
Another wrote, "He is scanning the Chinese... what a legend!"
"At least he's behaving well. I hope he doesn't get upset and start raising his arms," another user commented humorously.
"Hahahahaha, it's like a little kid with a phone filming everything," another person wrote, while one user joked, "Are you looking for Pokémon?"
Several users also compared Musk to someone visiting Beijing for the first time, amused by how fascinated he appeared during the ceremony.
Trump's ongoing China visit marks his first trip to the country since his 2017 presidential visit during his earlier term in office. The two-day summit comes at a time of heightened tensions between Washington and Beijing over tariffs, technology restrictions, Taiwan, trade disputes and the ongoing Iran conflict.
As discussions between the two global powers continue behind closed doors, Musk's candid moment has unexpectedly become one of the internet's favourite talking points from the Beijing summit.
