A trade group representing American automakers is urging Congress to permanently ban the sale of Chinese vehicles in the U.S. In a letter to top lawmakers, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation asked them Thursday to “enact a permanent ban on the sale, import and manufacturing of Chinese connected vehicles, hardware and software” in the U.S., citing China’s alleged unfair trade practices, intellectual property theft and pattern of surveillance. “This behavior is characteristic of the Chinese approach and especially acute when it comes to China’s strategy to dominate global auto manufacturing and critical supply chains,” wrote the group’s president and chief executive, John Bozzella. Bozzella also said non-Chinese automakers are unfairly disadvantaged by China’s industrial and manufacturing policy, which the auto industry group said threatens to undermine the U.S. auto manufacturing sector. American automakers face growing competition from Chinese rivals, including BYD, which is exporting more low-cost vehicles around the world. China has made particular progress in the electric vehicle sector, where it is the world’s largest electric vehicle market and a growing exporter. Under a January trade deal with Canada, for example, China’s Geely Auto Group will be able to sell tens of thousands of electric vehicles in the country each year, and Canadian tariffs will be reduced from 100% to just 6%. “China is capturing market share in Europe, Australia, Southeast Asia, Mexico and South America with vehicles capable of collecting, processing and transmitting sensitive vehicle and consumer data to the Chinese Communist Party,” Bozzella wrote. “This has not happened inside the United States yet, but given the scale and urgency of this threat, we urge you to enact a ban on Chinese vehicles, software and hardware before adjourning this year and making this policy the law of the land,” he added. Edited by Alain Sherter More from CBS News Go deeper with The Free Press In:
