David Shepherdson
AVON LAKE, Ohio, Jan 16 (Reuters) – U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the Canadian government’s decision to allow up to 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles to enter at low tariffs is “problematic” and that Canada may regret it.
“I think this is problematic for Canada,” Greer told CNBC on Friday.
“There’s a reason we don’t sell a lot of Chinese cars in the United States. It’s because we impose tariffs to protect American autoworkers and Americans from these vehicles.”
Greer said Canada is seeking agricultural tariff relief as part of the electric vehicle deal. “I don’t think they’re going to like this deal in the long run.”
Greer said regulations on connected and navigation system vehicles passed in January 2025 are a major obstacle to Chinese vehicles entering the U.S. market.
“I think they’re going to have a hard time operating here,” Greer said. “The United States has rules and regulations regarding cybersecurity for our vehicles and their systems, so I think it might be difficult for the Chinese to comply with those rules.”
Earlier this week, President Donald Trump reiterated comments he made during a speech in Detroit during the 2024 campaign that he wanted Chinese automakers to come to the United States to build vehicles.
“If they want to come in and build a factory and hire you and hire your friends and neighbors, that’s great, I love that,” Trump said during a speech at the Economic Club of Detroit meeting on January 13. “Let China come in.”
(Reporting by David Shepherdson in Washington; Editing by Nia Williams)