US Senate panel to vote on bill banning Chinese automakers

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee has approved legislation that would strengthen an existing ban on Chinese automakers selling vehicles in the United States. The bill, introduced by Republican Senator Bernie Moreno and Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin, seeks to codify a regulation already in place under the Biden administration.

A key provision of the legislation would prohibit vehicle sales by any automaker that is more than 15% owned by Chinese entities. This threshold would impact companies like Mercedes-Benz, which currently has nearly 20% Chinese ownership. U.S. lawmakers have indicated that Mercedes-Benz is actively lobbying to alter this specific provision. Senator Bernie Moreno stated that Mercedes-Benz would have until 2030 to comply and could still receive waivers if needed.