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US Senate panel approves bill to crack down on Chinese vehicles
The measure would bar sales by automakers more than 15% owned by Chinese entities as lawmakers cite national security concerns.
On Wednesday, the Senate Commerce Committee is set to vote on bipartisan legislation proposed by Republican Senator Bernie Moreno and Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin to tighten United States restrictions on Chinese-linked automakers.
Seeking to codify Biden administration regulations, the bill aims to block Chinese automakers from the United States light-duty market. "We're preventing an absolute, total, and complete destruction of our industrial base," Moreno said.
The legislation prohibits vehicle sales by automakers more than 15 percent owned by Chinese entities, impacting Mercedes-Benz with nearly 20 percent Chinese ownership and Sweden-based Polestar, majority-owned by Geely.
Mercedes-Benz is lobbying to alter the 15 percent ownership provision, while debates continue over battery management software and connectivity technologies including Bluetooth and Wi-Fi specifications.
General Motors and Ford are shifting production of the Chinese-made Buick Envision and Chinese-made Lincolns to the United States, while Waymo has committed to looking at a Detroit-based manufacturer for future platforms.
(Washington = Yonhap News) Correspondent Park Sung-min = The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee passed a bill on the 22nd (local time) regulating the entry of Chinese automobile companies into the U.S. market...