- Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), urged President Joe Biden in a video on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday to stop all imports of Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) to the US, saying they pose "an existential threat to the American auto industry." BBC News (LR: 3 CP: 5)
- The White House announced in February that it was investigating whether Chinese cars pose a national security threat due to their internet connectivity, and ability to collect sensitive data and record US infrastructure using cameras and sensors. BBC News (LR: 3 CP: 5)
- Brown, who represents the car-producing state of Ohio, is running for a fourth term in November and warned that Chinese-subsidized electric vehicles could flood the US market, cheating the American auto industry. Senate
- The number of Chinese cars in the US is currently quite low, due to a 27.5% tax on PRC-manufactured vehicles. China is competing with Japan to be the largest vehicle exporter worldwide. BBC News (LR: 3 CP: 5)
- In his warning to President Biden, Sen. Brown used Europe as a cautionary example, as Chinese-made vehicles accounted for more than 20% of European EV sales last year. Europe is beginning to look at Chinese EV subsidies. InsideTrade.com
- While the Biden admin. did not immediately comment, it indicated earlier this year it might hike tariffs on PRC-made EVs. ETAuto.com
Anti-China narrative:
- There's no way for American manufacturers to compete on an equal playing field with subsidized Chinese EVs. Allowing these cars on US roads would be a major blow to the US auto industry, destroying the United Auto Workers and the union's ability to boost wages. These PRC-made vehicles also represent a significant national security concern since the Chinese Communist Party will be able to collect a considerable amount of sensitive data. President Biden urgently needs to ban Chinese EVs.
SENATE
Pro-China narrative:
- The outlandish notion that PRC EVs pose a national security threat to the US is an accusation China is all too familiar with when Washington attempts to shut down Chinese companies or industries without providing any evidence. The US is once again using protectionism to defend its hegemonic interests while limiting the competitiveness of others. It's not acceptable to use non-market measures to avoid global market competition.
GLOBAL TIMES
Nerd narrative:
- There is a 60% chance a legacy automaker will go bankrupt before 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
METACULUS (LR: 3 CP: 3)