House lawmakers introducing bill to toughen US ban on Chinese vehicles
The legislation would codify a regulation implemented by the Biden administration that effectively bans all Chinese automakers from selling passenger vehicles in the United States and take other steps to prevent China from entering the U.S. light-duty market.
Republican Reps. John Moolenaar and Democrat Debbie Dingell are introducing the legislation, following a version introduced in the Senate last month by Republican Bernie Moreno and Democrat Elissa Slotkin.
The legislation would ban vehicles designed in China if they had advanced connectivity and vehicle software.
The Biden administration introduced sweeping regulations in January 2025 that effectively ban Chinese automakers from selling passenger vehicles in the United States, citing national security concerns linked to the vehicles’ ability to collect sensitive data on American owners.
In March, automotive trade groups representing nearly every major auto company, including the Detroit Three, Volkswagen, Hyundai and Toyota, parts manufacturers, auto dealers and others, called on the U.S. government to keep Chinese automakers out, citing “serious concerns about China’s ongoing efforts to dominate global automotive production and gain access to the U.S. market.”
They added that China poses “a direct threat to America’s global competitiveness, national security, and automotive industrial base.” Chinese cars also face high tariffs, but recent surveys show U.S. consumers are becoming more interested in the vehicles.
In January, Trump said he was open to Chinese automakers producing vehicles in the United States.
In a statement, the Chinese Embassy in Washington called on the United States to “stop overextending the concept of national security, end discriminatory and exclusionary measures, and ensure a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory business environment.”
