Auto industry leaders and lawmakers urged President Donald Trump to block Chinese automakers’ entry into the American car market ahead of a key meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Chinese Manufacturers’ Entry Into The U.S.
Trump, during his appearance at this year's Detroit Economic Club, said it would be "great" if Chinese automakers built U.S. plants, sparking concern from auto industry leaders and lawmakers, Reuters reported on Monday.
Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), cited in the report, urged Trump not to pave a path that would invite Chinese investment into the U.S. auto sector. "Please don’t make a bad deal," she said, endorsing a bipartisan bill she is backing with Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH).
The proposal, called the Connected Vehicle Security Act, would lock in a connected-car data rule put in place under former President Joe Biden that effectively blocks Chinese vehicles, making it harder for a future administration to unwind.
Trade groups across automakers, dealers and more cited in the report aligned behind a tougher stance, saying that Chinese automakers benefited from state support.
It’s also worth noting that a bipartisan bill pushed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) sought to ban the use of Chinese technology, including physical AI like Humanoid Robots, by the U.S. government
Jamieson Greer, Pete Hoekstra’s Comments
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer had earlier shared that the Trump administration does not intend to change the Biden-era rules limiting Chinese software and hardware in the domestic auto industry.
Trump's ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra, had earlier said that no Chinese EVs would be able to cross the border into the country following Ottawa's agreement with Beijing.
China’s International Push
BYD Co. Ltd.‘s (OTC:BYDDY) (OTC:BYDDF) exports rose 70% in April, as the automaker sent 135,098 units overseas, according to a Hong Kong stock exchange filing. BYD's European registrations rose 155% in the first quarter of 2026, the report said.
The Chinese automaker also believes it can expand globally without an entry into the U.S. market, according to the company's Executive Vice President Stella Li. "We survive and are successful without the US market today," she said in an interview.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by a Benzinga editor.
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