China has criticized a reported plan by the United States to ban Chinese-made software and hardware in connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs), pledging to firmly defend its lawful rights and interests.
Lin Jian, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, expressed opposition on Monday to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s expected proposal, which aims to prohibit Chinese technology in CAVs due to national security concerns.
“China opposes the U.S. overstretching the concept of national security and taking discriminatory measures against relevant Chinese companies and products,” Lin said. “We urge the U.S. to respect the principles of market economy and provide an open, fair, transparent, and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies. China will firmly defend its lawful rights and interests.”
According to reports from Reuters, the U.S. Department of Commerce plans to make software prohibitions effective in the 2027 model year, with hardware bans taking effect in the 2030 model year or January 2029. The department is giving the public 30 days to comment on the proposal and aims to finalize it by January 20.
While China holds top positions in the global automobile market and exports, its share of automobile exports to the U.S. remains relatively small. Data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) indicates that China exported a total of 74,800 passenger cars to the U.S. in 2023, representing only 1.4 percent of its overall exports. Of these, 18,600 were new energy passenger cars, accounting for merely 0.4 percent of the total.
“There are relatively few Chinese-made light-duty vehicles exported to the U.S.,” according to Reuters. In terms of software, including autonomous driving technology, while some Chinese companies have been allowed to conduct tests in the U.S., there are no public reports of major sales.
In March, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning emphasized that Chinese-made cars have gained global popularity not through “unfair practices,” but by emerging from fierce market competition with technological innovation and superb quality.
“China’s door has been open to global auto companies, including U.S. auto companies which have fully shared the dividends of China’s big market,” Mao said. “By contrast, the U.S. has engaged in trade protectionism and set up obstacles including discriminatory subsidy policies to obstruct access to the U.S. market by Chinese-made cars.”
Mao added that politicizing economic and trade issues would only hinder the development of the U.S. auto industry. “China urges the U.S. to respect the laws of market economy and the principles of fair competition, stop overstretching the concept of national security, stop its discriminatory suppression against Chinese companies, and uphold an open, fair, and non-discriminatory business environment,” she stated.
Reference(s):
China to safeguard rights as U.S. seeks to ban Chinese tech in EVs
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