U.S. abuses "national security" to justify trade protectionism

Cartoon by Ma Hongliang

The U.S. has persistently taken actions to suppress China's electric vehicle manufacturers.

Recently, the U.S. government announced that it plans to investigate electric vehicles made in China to ensure there are no data security vulnerabilities.

The U.S. has frequently used "national security" as a justification for implementing trade protectionist measures, making unsubstantiated allegations to protect their country's technological hegemony.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo previously alleged that Chinese assembled smart vehicles collect data on the drivers and send this data back to China, saying "cars these days are like an iPhone on wheels."

The U.S.'s persistent implementation of barriers and politicization of economic and trade matters hinder the growth of its automotive industry and will disrupt the global automotive supply chain.

The U.S. should respect the laws of market economy and the principle of fair competition, refrain from generalizing the concept of national security, and ensure an open, fair, and non-discriminatory business environment.

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