According to his post on Chinese microblogging site Weibo , Changan chairman Zhu Huarong said he visited Ren, 80, at Huawei’s headquarters in Shenzhen last Friday to discuss the state of development and competition in China’s electric vehicle (EV) industry.

While Zhu did not provide details of their discussion, he praised the “wisdom” shared and “passion” shown by Ren during the meeting. Zhu said he also met Huawei deputy chairman Eric Xu Zhijun and Richard Yu Chengdong , chairman of the company’s consumer business group, in Shenzhen.

The meeting reflects how Chinese industry leaders look to Ren for possible direction amid US President Donald Trump ’s tariff strategy, which has disrupted global trade. Tariffs imposed by the US government have made exports to the country “impossible” for Chinese EV manufacturers.