Genesee News

The Michigan-China Economic and Security Review Group has declared the Ford-CATL partnership a high-risk venture, raising concerns about national and economic security. This announcement was made on the social media platform X.

According to Capitol News, the group described Ford Motor Company's battery partnership with Chinese firm CATL as a "high-risk experiment," citing concerns over CATL’s reported ties to the Chinese Communist Party. The deal involves $1.7 billion in state incentives, prompting scrutiny over potential national security implications. These concerns were raised in a report covered by MIRS News in August 2023.

A February 2023 letter from the U.S. House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party reportedly asked Ford to clarify whether its agreement with CATL might enable technology transfers or operational control by Chinese entities. The letter also requested details about the number of Chinese nationals expected to be employed at the planned Michigan battery facility. Lawmakers cited concerns over strategic dependencies on foreign-controlled supply chains.

According to Michigan Advance, in January 2025, the U.S. Department of Defense added Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL) to its list of "Chinese military companies," citing its ties to China’s military-industrial complex. The designation reflects increased federal scrutiny of Chinese corporations operating in sensitive sectors like energy storage and electric vehicles. The listing has implications for U.S. companies partnering with entities linked to China’s defense industry.

The Michigan-China Economic and Security Review Group was co-founded by Joseph Cella and Peter Hoekstra to monitor Chinese investments in Michigan with potential security implications. Cella previously served as U.S. Ambassador to Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, and Tuvalu from 2019 to 2021 and has since been an outspoken critic of Chinese influence in American industrial policy. The group has taken a central role in evaluating the risks of the Ford-CATL partnership, according to Federal Newswire.