WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said on Sept. 11 that he would consider allowing Chinese automakers to establish factories in the United States if they hire American workers, but he flatly rejected the idea of permitting Chinese car imports.
"We don't allow his cars into the United States, and I never did," Trump said, referring to Chinese leader Xi Jinping. "What I don't want is them to build in Mexico and just build it inexpensively and ship it across the border."
Trump drew a comparison to Japanese automakers. "If China wanted to come in and open a plant to build their cars here, I'd be okay with that. Japan does it, but they hire our people. The big thing is they hire our people," he said.
The Biden administration in early 2025 imposed a regulation effectively banning Chinese automakers from selling or building passenger vehicles in the United States. Washington maintains tariffs exceeding 100 percent on Chinese electric vehicles.
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, representing major U.S. automakers, pushed Congress on Sept. 3 to establish a permanent ban on the sale, import, and manufacture of Chinese connected vehicles, hardware, and software. John Bozzella, the group's president and CEO, warned lawmakers that Chinese automakers are "dumping subsidized vehicles with connected software and hardware around the world" in Europe, Australia, Southeast Asia, Mexico, and South America.
Bozzella cited national security concerns, saying these vehicles can collect, process, and transmit "sensitive vehicle and consumer data to the Chinese Communist Party." He stressed the situation has not yet occurred in the United States but urged swift action before the current congressional session concludes.
Trump's statement comes two weeks before Chinese leader Xi Jinping's reported visit to Washington.
