U.S. Politicians Want to Add Two Chinese Battery Makers to Import Ban List

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The CATL headquarters in Ningde, Fujian.

A number of republican politicians are calling on the Biden administration to add two Chinese electric vehicle battery makers to an import ban list, accusing the companies of using forced labor in their supply chains.

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL), the world’s largest maker of batteries for electric cars as well as a partner to Ford, and Gotion High-Tech Co. Ltd., a battery company partially owned by Volkswagen AG, should be added immediately to an import ban list, the politicians said in two letters sent to Robert Silvers, the Department of Homeland Security Undersecretary.

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Republican politicians urge Biden administration to ban two Chinese EV battery makers, CATL and Gotion High-Tech, citing forced labor allegations.
The letters were sent to Robert Silvers by politicians including John Moolenaar, Mark Green, and Marco Rubio.
Ongoing tensions have led to halted projects and increased tariffs on Chinese lithium-ion batteries, impacting U.S. imports significantly.

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Who’s Who

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL): Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL) is the world’s largest maker of batteries for electric cars and a partner to Ford. U.S. politicians allege that CATL's supply chains are linked to forced labor, specifically involving Uyghurs in China. The company has faced resistance, with calls for import bans and security concerns leading to actions such as Duke Energy disconnecting CATL’s batteries from a U.S. Navy base in North Carolina.

Gotion High-Tech Co. Ltd.: Gotion High-Tech Co. Ltd. is China's fifth-largest power battery manufacturer and one of only two Chinese lithium battery companies to build factories in the U.S. It plans a cell factory with an annual output of 40 gigawatt hours in Illinois, and Germany’s Volkswagen Group holds a 24.68% stake in the company. Gotion faces accusations from U.S. politicians of using forced labor in its supply chains connected to human rights abuses in China.

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What Happened When

March 2023：: Senator Rubio introduced legislation to block tax credits for EV batteries made using Chinese technology.

November 2023：: Ford resumed building its battery plant using CATL’s technology after having to stop work twice.

December 2023：: Duke Energy disconnected CATL’s batteries from a U.S. Navy base in North Carolina following concerns raised by senator Rubio and other officials.

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