Speaking at the Automotive News Congress in Detroit, Ford Motor CEO Jim Farley has warned that politicians should consider lessons from Europe when deciding whether to allow Chinese automakers to enter the U.S. market. He cautioned that it is “too late” for Europe but not for the American market.
“I think it’s just important for us to take our time to be considerate,” Farley said. “I watch what’s happening in Europe right now, where that was not the case, and it’s really something that they have to deal with now, and it’s too late.”
Farley’s comments come as Ford faces competition from a surge of Chinese automakers entering Europe, while also seeking partnerships with some Chinese firms to help fill plants and advance technologies like electric vehicle batteries.
The warning follows Ford and Chinese automaker Geely’s recent announcement that they plan to build EVs at Ford’s Spanish plant through a new manufacturing joint venture.
“Our answer is pretty simple. We’re going to partner with the Chinese where we don’t have [intellectual property], where we can be more capital efficient in places like Europe or Southeast Asia,” Farley stated.
Farley’s caution comes just days after Chinese President Xi Jinping met with President Donald Trump, after which the President said he might be “OK” with letting Chinese automakers into the U.S. if they produced vehicles domestically.
The Trump administration sent Ford a letter earlier this month expressing “profound concern” about its ties to Chinese companies and questioning its strategic trajectory. Ford at the time defended its stance as America’s top-producing carmaker and said it employs more hourly workers in the country than any other automaker.
Global market share for Chinese brands rose nearly 70% from 2020 to 2025.
By CEO NA Editorial Staff
