Recent purchases by a Chinese automaker raise the prospect of China being able to interfere with our transport system.
Geely automotive (Zhejiang Geely Holding Group)—a Chinese global automotive group headquartered in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China—owns many recognizable brands such as Volvo cars and Lotus. Geely is also the largest shareholder of Volvo Group which owns Volvo Trucks, Mack Trucks (formerly an independent American company), Renault Trucks, Dongfeng, Volvo Busses, and Volvo Construction equipment.
Geely’s Founder and Chairman, Li Shufu, has recently been on an acquisition spree and has been buying large stakes in numerous automotive and truck companies across the globe. Li, who likes to move quickly and stealthily, used shell companies last year to acquire a 10 percent stake in the German automaker Daimler, the maker of Mercedes Benz cars, among other brands. This maneuver caught German regulators off guard and prompted an inquiry into the move. But how does Geely move so freely in a communist-controlled state?
These acquisitions mean Geely and China are rapidly acquiring intellectual property and the technological know-how of many of the world’s largest automotive and transport brands, companies that spent decades building and engineering safe, reliable technology.
This revelation is concerning for a number of reasons. First, Geely will learn the intellectual property of Volvo Group, as they are very much open about their interests in contributing to autonomous driving technology and connectivity development.
We know that China treats the United States as an adversary. China having these capabilities exposes an opening that could be exploited at any time.
Concerns about cybersecurity and telematics protection have been raised by the U.S. General Services Administration as it relates to the federal government’s procurement of medium and heavy-duty trucks.
These types of security concerns should be raised by our Commerce Department, if they were not already addressed in the department’s 232 report on the national security issues raised by auto and auto part imports into the United States that was delivered to the White House in February (but whose findings have not been made public).
Our nation’s transport lines are vital to our livelihood as they deliver food, medical supplies, and goods and services. An attempt from China to hack our systems should be a concern. So, too should possible attempts to cut off supply lines for parts that are made in China and shipped here for final assembly. Preventing these types of attacks on our society should be important to lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.
Businesses large and small can also protect themselves by investing in American companies. Companies that build American trucks like PACCAR, which owns Peterbilt and Kenworth. These companies are not beholden to Chinese financing and are certainly not building their trucks in China.
President Donald Trump is certainly doing everything he can to ensure America gets a better deal with China.
As reported by The Epoch Times, China is the world’s leading human rights abuser and polluter of our environment. They devalue their currency, silence a free press, and deny the freedom to follow one’s own religious beliefs.
Doing business with the CCP and communist banks only helps further the “China dream”—we must do better as a society and recognize these potential security concerns before its too late.
