As if importing a vehicle from China for the first time in its history wasn’t enough, Ford is now facing backlash for its proposed plant in Michigan involving China’s premier electric vehicle battery supplier. The decision to manufacture the Lincoln Nautilus in China has raised concerns among industry experts, who are urging the Biden administration to increase tariffs on vehicles made in China. Meanwhile, Ford is actively seeking a partnership with a Chinese company whose CEO has deep ties to the CCP, raising questions about the automaker’s commitment to supporting American workers and industries. With tensions already high between the US and China, this move by Ford could have significant repercussions.
Ford Motor Company has announced that it will import the latest generation of Lincoln Nautilus from China, marking the first time in the company’s history that a Lincoln vehicle will be manufactured in China and sold in the United States.
Previously, the luxury crossover SUV was produced in Ontario, Canada before being transported to the US for sale. The announcement has sparked a backlash among experts.
For example, the Senior Vice President of Public Affairs and Communications for Coalition for a Prosperous America tweeted in response to the move: Don’t think this is the kind of “history” Americans want to see from a historic American auto manufacturer.
Some are even calling on President Joe Biden and Congress to increase US tariffs on vehicles imported from China in an effort to protect American auto workers and domestic industries from competing with China’s heavily subsidized vehicles.
Presently, the US tariffs on Chinese-made vehicles are 25%, but industry experts argue that the Ford announcement highlights the need for higher tariffs on Chinese-made automobiles to safeguard American jobs and industries. In the absence of any statement from the Biden administration regarding the Ford announcement, experts have raised concerns over the administration’s silence, especially in the light of the electric vehicle battery deal that Ford is pursuing with China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. (CATL).
The $3.4 billion Ford-CATL plant is seen as crucial to the future of electric vehicle production in America. However, CATL’s CEOs connections to the Chinese government have raised concerns among some US officials, given that he is a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, a CCP advisory body that is thought to have ties with China’s intelligence operations abroad. This has put the Ford battery plant deal under further scrutiny, particularly in light of the closure of Ford’s Romeo, Michigan plant, which has left 600 American workers having to look for alternative employment.
The announcement of Ford importing its Lincoln Nautilus from China and its partnership with China’s CATL to build a $3.4 billion electric vehicle battery plant has sparked further concerns about Chinese influence on the American auto industry. With CATL’s CEOs deep ties to the CCP, there is a potential risk of CCP intelligence operations infiltrating American industries. Furthermore, the closure of the Romeo plant in Michigan adds to the growing concerns about American jobs and the protection of domestic industries. It is imperative that Congress and the Biden administration take appropriate measures to protect American workers and industries from foreign competition and potential security risks.
