One of the oldest American car companies, Ford, is facing criticism for partnering with a Chinese firm. Ford plans to build a $3.5 billion battery factory in Michigan to make batteries for its electric vehicles (EVs). This factory will use technology and resources from Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd (CATL), a Chinese company.
Some Republican lawmakers, including Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, are worried that this partnership poses a national security risk. They fear it could make the United States too dependent on China and link our supply chains to the communist regime.
Representatives Mike Gallagher and Jason Smith have already asked Ford for details about the agreement. Representative Cathy McMorris and many other Republican House members have joined in seeking information from Ford.
Ford insists it’s only licensing the technology and that CATL won’t own any part of the plant. However, concerns about ties between Chinese companies and the Communist Party persist, and even some Democrats are cautioning against such partnerships.
In summary, Ford’s deal with a Chinese company to build a battery factory in Michigan has raised national security concerns among Republican lawmakers and even some Democrats. They need to be more concerned about the implications of such a partnership with a country like China.
