BEIJING (Reuters) - Several state-owned firms in China's financial hub of Shanghai have recently purchased Tesla's best-selling Model Y as service cars, a local government statement said on Friday.

The purchase is an "active response" to the call for equal treatment of Chinese and foreign firms in government purchases, according to the investment promotion service centre of the Lingang Special Area, where Tesla's largest manufacturing hub is located.

A local media report on Thursday said Tesla cars had been made eligible for a Chinese local government purchase list.