Posted on 09/12/2026 9:58:50 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
President Donald Trump has a simple proposition for Chinese automakers: if they want American customers, build the factory here and hire American workers.
I understand the appeal.
Trump said Saturday that he would be comfortable with Chinese companies manufacturing cars in the United States as long as they employ Americans. He contrasted that with Chinese manufacturers building vehicles in Mexico and shipping them north across the border.
From Reuters:
"If China wanted to come in and open a plant to build their cars here, I'd be okay with that," Trump said in an interview on the Fox News program "The Ingraham Angle."
"Japan does it, but they hire our people. The big thing is they hire our people," he said.
He added that he does not want Chinese automakers to build cars in Mexico and ship them to the United States. "I'm not knocking Chinese cars," Trump said.
U.S. automakers have urged Trump, who is due to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington in two weeks, not to agree to allow Chinese automakers access to the U.S. market.
On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin, a Michigan Democrat, said there were "rumors that Trump is planning to allow Chinese cars to be sold in America, as part of larger deal he’s putting together. That would be a strategic mistake."
Trump called Slotkin's statement a "total phony rumor" and said he had kept Chinese vehicles out of the United States.
Factories and manufacturing jobs are important (duh!). American communities have spent decades watching plants close while production moved overseas. Trump made rebuilding domestic industry one of the defining goals of both of his presidencies.
Chinese connected vehicles create a separate problem, however, and putting the factory in Michigan or Ohio doesn't automatically solve it.
(Excerpt) Read more at pjmedia.com ...
Most of the Chinese auto industry is owned lock stock and barrel by the Chinese Govt (SAIC,GWM,BAIC,Chery,JAC) The only private owned Chinese car companies are BYD and Geely- and they operate at the whim of the CCP. So basically you are buying a car to finance Chinese missiles pointed at you.
And they basically rust and fall apart after a few years. In Australia, where a lot of Chinese pickups were imported a decade ago - their durability is so awful a used Toyota Hilux pickup is more sought out than a new Chinese pickup.
I can’t imagine Chinese vehicles passing NHTSA safety standards or EPA pollution standards. These costs alone will make them as costly to make as other manufacturers endure.
That was 10 years ago. They are made to a much higher standard in 2026 .
LOL Tofu cars.................yeah I was a tofu piece of garbage gar that will a rolling bomb......
Where there is two or more of ccp mainland chinese gathered together there is theft and graft..........and lets not forget espionage.
It’s ingrained in their minds, their bodies, culturally, intellectually and by government decree.
To be absolutely frank it only takes one of them....
China has built huge assembly plants filled with robots.
I understand those assembly plants skew greatly towards 100% fixed cost.
Force Chy na to build in the USA and you defeat their operation to dump product and push competetion out of business.
Next, you force their chips makers and electronics to manufacture in the USA. You improve your ability to eliminate chy na spy tech.
Also, mandate all steel and aluminum is melted and poured in the USA
They are at the beginning of their industrial curve.
American car manufacturers lost their supremacy well into their trajectory.
Pinto
Vega
...
Add the Corvair to your list.
in high school, I was a passenger in a Corvair when driver lost control. I was thrown from the car via the driver’s door and woke later sitting next to a tree with no injuries.
The most common China-built models for the U.S. are XC40, S60, XC90, and C40,
Yep
Detroit earned their downfall.
I do dod contracting, and this chinese issue is a major issue right now. Chinese chips are making many electronics thing prohibited right now.
i thought that most Buicks available are made in china as well..
I’m posting this search as I use it: https://theconservativetreehouse.com/?s=Chinese+cars
There are multiple articles there, but my fav is noting how the cars are basically a loss leader, and they do it for the stinkin’ carbon credits!
I’m even avoiding Chinese restaurants so Chinese cars will get a hard pass.
I don't know about safety standards, but over 60% of CCP cars are EV. So pollution standards would not be a problem.
The Buick Envision is the only Buick model sold in the U.S. that is manufactured in China.
per AI
I personally would rather have a Pinto or Vega today over much of the crap US automakers are selling.
GM is recalling over a million trucks with the 6.2 V8. Trucks that can easily cost over $100K.
Stellantis has ruined Chrysler. Just one minivan. That’s been on the market for 8 years. And then there is Jeep. A POS these days.
Ford? Maybe OK, just be careful..
Just like Japan once bested the US in automating, it appears China may make a similar move.
No, Stellantis did not ruin Chrysler.
Chrysler has been a basket case saved by government intervention for decades.
I avoid all Chinese products! Why would you want to send $$$ to a country that wants to kill you... I try to avoid Chinese owned companies - like Smithfield...
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