American Auto Tycoon: "China's Cars Can't Be Blocked Forever!"

On August 12, South Korea's *Chosun Ilbo* published an article stating that as the U.S. Congress pushes forward a bill effectively cutting off Chinese-made vehicles from entering the American market at the source, voices within the U.S. automotive industry are calling for long-term preparedness to compete with Chinese automakers.

Lately, Bill Ford, Chairman of Ford Motor Company, said during a public event: "We must confront China head-on in competition." He added, "We shouldn't count on forever keeping Chinese cars out of the U.S. market—we must be able to defeat them on their own terms."

At the time of Ford’s remarks, the U.S. Senate is advancing a bipartisan-supported bill that would effectively ban all Chinese automakers from entering the U.S. passenger vehicle market. Although Ford Motor Company also supports this legislation, Chairman Ford emphasized that protectionism alone is insufficient.

He pointed out that American automakers must simultaneously enhance their competitiveness while acknowledging the possibility that Chinese car manufacturers may eventually enter the U.S. market. This has been interpreted as indicating that although the U.S. government has recently tightened regulations on Chinese vehicles, it cannot rule out the possibility of regulatory relaxation due to future changes in government or policy.

Analysts note that Ford’s comments acknowledge that indefinitely excluding Chinese automakers from the U.S. market is unrealistic.

In fact, Chinese automakers are rapidly expanding their global influence. In recent years, Chinese companies such as BYD and Geely have seen rapid growth in their global market share. According to data from the China Passenger Car Association, in June this year, Chinese automakers exported approximately 877,000 electric and hybrid vehicles—more than double the volume compared to the same period last year.

To counter the surge of Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers, Ford is preparing a new model of electric pickup truck. Priced at around $30,000, the vehicle is expected to launch in 2027.

Abroad, Ford has already begun competing with Chinese enterprises. In Europe, Ford is collaborating with French automaker Renault to jointly produce two small electric vehicles targeted at the European market.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1873298027024649/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.