US-China Trade War Touches Electric Cars
Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown asked the White House to “ban imports of Chinese electric cars”
A new “hot zone” in the trade war between the USA and China has emerged. Following microchips and other electronic products, Washington is attacking electric cars labeled “Made in China.” According to the American press, political pressure on the White House has increased significantly in recent weeks, “so that the administration of President Joe Biden is taking drastic measures, restricting or even completely banning the imports of Chinese-made electric cars into the USA.”
According to Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sherrod Brown, “Chinese electric vehicles pose a real threat to the US auto industry.” This position is more radical than the one expressed several times by many politicians in Congress. However, up to this point, the proposal was to simply restrict Chinese exports or even prevent Chinese electric cars from entering the country through the imposition of high, almost prohibitive customs duties.
US services have said that Chinese electric cars, “stuffed up to their necks with sophisticated electronic equipment,” can spy on their owners, transmit information to Chinese intelligence, and can even be “disabled” by Beijing if necessary. In February, following an investigation by the Wall Street Journal newspaper, which reported on the US leadership’s concerns about the risks of espionage and sabotage associated with the presence in US ports (some also used by the armed forces) of a huge number of giant cranes made by Chinese state-owned factories, Washington decided to stop using such Chinese-made devices. Afterward, the White House stated that “the United States is launching an investigation into whether Chinese vehicles pose a national security threat.” China, according to Biden, could “flood our market” with its cars, jeopardizing US national security.
“We can’t allow China to import cars made with the support of the Beijing government into the heart of the American auto industry,” wrote on X social media Democratic senator Brown, who represents Ohio automakers.