Republican lawmakers criticize Ford business ties to China
F•Ford defends its battery strategy as shares fall
Ford did not immediately comment Wednesday but in a statement Tuesday said Duffy's "letter is a wrongheaded attempt to capture headlines." The company added that "while others continue to import Chinese batteries, Ford is investing to build batteries here in America" and added that "Ford owns the plant, controls the operation and employs the workforce."
President Donald Trump is set to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this month. Duffy's comments come as Congress is pushing to tighten a ban on Chinese vehicles in the United States.
Duffy's letter is the latest warning shot across China's bow ahead of the Xi-Trump meeting. On Tuesday, U.S. officials accused Chinese AI companies of "aggressive, industrial-scale distillation activities."
Ford shares were down 2% in midday trading to $13.69. Major automakers last week urged Congress to pass the ban before the end of the year.
