Dingell, Colleagues Urge Trump to Maintain Protections Against Chinese Automobiles, Protect American Auto Workers and Manufacturing

This press release from Representative Debbie Dingell (D-MI) was published on 2026-09-21 and titled "Dingell, Colleagues Urge Trump to Maintain Protections Against Chinese Automobiles, Protect American Auto Workers and Ma".

Dingell, Colleagues Urge Trump to Maintain Protections Against Chinese Automobiles, Protect American Auto Workers and Manufacturing

U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06) and 26 of her colleagues in the House of Representatives are urging President Trump to maintain protection of the U.S. auto industry from Chinese automobiles and connected vehicle technologies. The lawmakers are also pushing the administration to avoid opening the U.S. market to Chinese automobile imports and manufacturing as part of ongoing U.S.-China trade discussions, as well as protect the American automotive manufacturing base, workers, critical supply chains, and national security. “The U.S. automotive industry supports approximately 10 million American jobs and sustains a broad manufacturing ecosystem that includes steel, semiconductors, batteries, electronics, machinery, and thousands of suppliers,” said the lawmakers. “These initiatives are critical to ensuring the United States has a clear and lasting framework to protect our automotive market, workers, critical supply chains, and national security.” The lawmakers also highlighted the lack of a level playing field in the global marketplace due to unfair practices used by the Chinese government: “ China is rapidly expanding its global automotive presence through massive government subsidies, state-directed investment, below-market financing, and other non-market policies and practices. These policies and practices have incentivized Chinese automakers to build significant excess production capacity to aggressively expand overseas, including through opaque corporate structures and partnerships. These subsidized Chinese automakers sell vehicles globally at unfair, artificially low prices that American manufacturers simply cannot compete with. In addition to government financing, Chinese automotive manufacturing relies on forced labor and other exploitative labor practices.” Congresswoman Dingell’s latest effort follows an April 2026 letter to President Trump from her and 73 of her House Democratic colleagues urging the president to block Chinese automakers from accessing the United States market. In May 2026, she introduced bipartisan legislation that would prohibit the importation, manufacture, and sale of connected vehicles, software, and hardware linked to China. In June 2026, the congresswoman raised concerns with the administration’s decision to permit Chinese connected vehicles to enter the United States, warning that allowing this poses a serious threat to American national security, driver privacy, and the competitiveness of the domestic auto industry. In August 2026, Congresswoman Dingell introduced another bipartisan bill that would direct the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to conduct a comprehensive study of the national and economic security risks foreign adversaries pose to the United States automotive industry. A copy of the letter can be found HERE and below Dear Mr. President: As you prepare for your upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, we write to emphasize the importance of protecting the United States automotive industry, its workers, and our economic and national security from the growing threat posed by China. We urge you to maintain strong protections against Chinese automobiles and connected vehicle technologies and ensure that China does not gain access to our market through direct imports, local production, and other avenues of circumvention. China is rapidly expanding its global automotive presence through massive government subsidies, state-directed investment, below-market financing, and other non-market policies and practices. These policies and practices have incentivized Chinese automakers to build significant excess production capacity to aggressively expand overseas, including through opaque corporate structures and partnerships. These subsidized Chinese automakers sell vehicles globally at unfair, artificially low prices that American manufacturers simply cannot compete with. In addition to government financing, Chinese automotive manufacturing relies on forced labor and other exploitative labor practices. From January through August 2026, China exported more than 6.2 million passenger vehicles, exceeding its passenger vehicle exports for all of 2025. In August 2026 alone, Chinese passenger vehicle exports increased more than 67 percent from the previous year. Electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle exports have grown even more rapidly, even as China’s domestic automotive market has weakened. These trends demonstrate the growing importance of overseas markets to China’s automotive sector and the scale of the challenge facing American manufacturers and workers. Chinese automotive brands accounted for approximately 17 percent of new vehicle sales in Mexico during the first half of 2026, up from 14 percent a year earlier, with sales reaching 137,525 vehicles. At the same time, Chinese manufacturers continue to explore investment and production opportunities in Mexico. Canada has also established an annual quota of 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles at a 6.1 percent tariff