Senator Moreno is pushing for a broader ban covering material, software, and Chinese automotive partnerships.
Automakers and American business groups support the ban and urge their allies to take similar measures.
Donald Trump had previously expressed openness to Chinese automakers building factories in the United States.
(Adding quotes and details, no immediate comment from the Chinese embassy in Washington, from paragraph 2)
by Kalea Hall and David Shepardson
Republican Senator Bernie Moreno announced on Tuesday that he will introduce legislation next month to strengthen the U.S. government’s ban on Chinese automakers entering the American market, and encouraged other countries to follow suit.
The Biden administration has implemented a strict regulation that effectively bans all Chinese automakers from selling passenger vehicles in the United States by January 2025, citing national security concerns related to the vehicles’ ability to collect sensitive data on American owners.
The ban is strongly supported by U.S. automakers and other automotive groups. Earlier this month, major automotive trade groups urged the U.S. government to prevent Chinese automakers from entering the country, according to a letter seen by Reuters, ahead of the planned summit between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in May.
Senator Moreno stated that his bill would go beyond import bans and seal the U.S. so that “there is never a scenario where a Chinese car enters our market, whether it be material, software, or partnerships.”
“There will be no Chinese cars here. And what I hope is that Latin America, Mexico, Canada, and Europe adopt our standards,” he said at an event organized by the Automotive Forum ahead of the New York Auto Show.
“We do not allow Huawei to enter our telecommunications infrastructure. We will not allow Chinese automakers to enter this market,” stated Bernie Moreno, referring to the U.S. government rules banning the Chinese telecommunications company. “We will prevent the cancer from entering our market and we will need other countries to undergo chemotherapy.”
The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Donald Trump is expected to visit China in May as the world’s two largest economies seek to maintain the stability that has characterized their relationship since the end of last year, after a tough period marked by Donald Trump’s tariffs and China’s control over rare earth exports.
In January, Donald Trump stated that he was open to Chinese automakers building vehicles in the United States. “If they want to come build a factory, hire you and hire your friends and neighbors, that’s great, I love it,” he said at the Detroit Economic Club.
