BYD Co Ltd Class ATrump says Chinese automakers like BYD could build EV factories in the U.S. if they hire American workers, but U.S. automakers and lawmakers strongly oppose letting BYD enter the market.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday, September 11, that Chinese automakers can set up electric vehicle factories in the United States if they hire American workers. In an interview with Fox News, Trump said the United States should move forward with effectively blocking imported cars from China, but he would accept it if China wants to build car factories in the United States, citing Japan as an example of a country that built cars in the United States and hired American workers. Trump said what he does not want is Chinese companies building cars in Mexico at low cost and then exporting those cars into the United States for sale. The remarks came about two weeks before a scheduled summit between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington. Meanwhile, U.S. automakers and lawmakers have strongly opposed the idea of opening the way for BYD, China's largest electric vehicle maker, and other Chinese automakers to enter the U.S. market. About three months ago, the U.S. Department of Defense added BYD and several other leading Chinese companies to its list of entities the United States believes cooperate with the Chinese military. In this interview, Trump also said he has a strong relationship with Xi Jinping, adding that smooth relations between the two sides are beneficial, and that U.S.-China relations are now on a better track than in the past.
BYD Co Ltd Class ATrump says Chinese automakers like BYD could build EV factories in the U.S. if they hire American workers, but U.S. automakers and lawmakers strongly oppose letting BYD enter the market.