Reuters-US lawmakers demand documents on Ford battery partnership with CATL
September 27, 2023 3 min 482 words
这则报道揭示了美国国会众议院三个委员会主席对福特与中国电池公司CATL合作的严重关切。他们要求福特提供与CATL合作以及在密歇根建设一家35亿美元的电池制造厂的文件，并威胁将传唤CEO吉姆·法利出席国会听证会。报道中提到，这一合作可能导致美国税收津贴流向中国，并使福特对中国技术产生依赖，引发了共和党议员的担忧。 这次要求文件的行动突显了美国国内对与中国的技术合作的敏感性，特别是涉及电动汽车和电池制造领域。福特宣布暂停密歇根电池厂项目，引发了美国汽车工人联合会的谴责，这也凸显了该合作的政治和经济复杂性。 此外，议员们要求获得与福特和拜登政府之间有关合作的通信记录，以及有关税收抵免的详细信息，这表明他们关心这一合作是否会导致对中国企业的税收优惠。 最后，议员们还提到了有关CATL与新疆公司的关联，这涉及到中国在新疆地区的人权争议。这一点反映了美国国内对中国人权问题的关切，以及企业在处理中国合作伙伴时所面临的道德和法律压力。 总之，这则报道突显了美国政府对福特与CATL合作的监管和政治关切，以及对中国技术合作的复杂性和敏感性的反映。这也是一个提醒，企业在国际合作中必须谨慎处理政治和法律风险。
The chairs of three U.S. House of Representatives committees demanded Ford Motor (F.N) turn over documents tied to its partnership with Chinese battery company CATL (300750.SZ) and threatened to call CEO Jim Farley to testify before Congress.
Republicans Jason Smith, Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Mike Gallagher - who chair the Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce and China select committees - jointly wrote to Farley with a new deadline seeking documents about the CATL partnership and the automaker's plan to build a $3.5 billion battery manufacturing plant in Michigan using Chinese technology.
"Ford’s ongoing refusal to provide substantive responses ... raises serious concerns regarding its licensing agreement with CATL," the lawmakers wrote on Tuesday in a previously unreported letter seen by Reuters.
Republicans have been probing Ford's battery plant plan for months over concerns it could facilitate the flow of U.S. tax subsidies to China and leave Ford dependent on Chinese technology.
On Monday, Ford said it paused work on the Michigan battery plant, citing concerns about its ability to operate it competitively as it remains in broader contract negotiations, drawing condemnation from the United Auto Workers union.
The lawmakers want documents including the Ford/CATL licensing agreement, communications between Ford and the Biden Administration referring to the licensing agreement and achievable tax credits, and records of Ford's knowledge of CATL's "apparent attempt to shield its connection to Xinjiang-based companies."
Human rights groups accuse Beijing of abuses against Xinjiang’s Uyghur inhabitants, including the mass use of forced labor in internment camps. China denies the allegations.
CATL did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
The lawmakers said if Ford does not disclose records sought previously by Oct. 6 "we will consider other means to obtain the documents, including compulsory process or insisting that you appear before Congress to publicly explain your failure to comply."
A Ford spokeswoman said the company had answered multiple congressional letters and "thoroughly responded to questions and shared detailed information about Ford’s work to strengthen domestic battery manufacturing" but did not say if the company would comply with the document request.
In 2022, Congress passed legislation barring $7,500 in future consumer EV tax credits if any battery components are manufactured or assembled by a "foreign entity of concern."
Ford has been awaiting guidance to determine if batteries produced by the Marshall plant would run afoul of the requirements.
Last week, Tesla TSLA.O CEO Elon Musk also faced questions from Smith about the automaker's relationship with CATL.