[File photo: vcg]

Electric auto brand Tesla Inc. says it has secured land in Shanghai for its first factory outside the United States, pushing ahead despite mounting U.S.-Chinese trade tensions.

Tesla said Wednesday it signed a "land transfer agreement" on a 210-acre (84-hectare) site for the factory. It announced the plan for a China factory in July after the Chinese government said it would end restrictions on full foreign ownership of electric vehicle manufacturers.

China is the biggest global electric vehicle market and Tesla's second-largest after the United States.

(With input from AP)