10 years to implement? Aren’t we supposed to have a starship in orbit of Mars by that time?
Secondly, there is need to independant access to space free of US technology export rules and foreign policy and sanctions.
US administration has forbidden NASA collaboration with China, and as a result they built a separate space station, and are having a separate moon-capable rocket. And i would bet my house that they will get to the moon, CCP seems to plan in 20 years+ horizons, not elevtuom cycles. Perks of being a dictatorship and all that.
That said, you can't trust anything Elon says.