Chinese auto executive donated to Biden, Harris campaigns after White House awarded subsidy to her EV firm

By bellecarter // 2024-10-18

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The top executive of a China-linked electric vehicle (EV) company was found to have donated tens of thousands of dollars to the Democrats – initially to the campaign of President Joe Biden and later to Vice President Kamala Harris' election war chest. Stella Li, president of BYD Americas, a subsidiary of the Chinese EV firm BYD, contributed $33,400 to what was originally the Biden Victory Fund, now renamed the Harris Victory Fund. Additionally, Li made two $3,300 donations to the Biden campaign, now the Harris campaign. The donations were reportedly made after Biden gave Li's company a six-figure subsidy. BYD Americas was reported to have been one of the primary beneficiaries of the Inflation Reduction Act's electric vehicle tax credit. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the company received $395,000 through the Clean School Bus Program. This is not the first time that Li donated to a Democratic campaign. As shown by state records, Li donated $50,000 to California Gov. Gavin Newsom's 2018 and 2022 gubernatorial campaigns. The BYD Americas president is identified by her company as a Chinese national with other company documents indicating she has a "right of abode" in the United States, the Free Beacon reported. According to the Federal Election Commission, while foreign nationals generally cannot contribute to political campaigns, green card holders can do so. As per the Washington Free Beacon, Newsom awarded BYD a nearly $1 billion no-bid contract for masks during the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The company had no history of manufacturing masks or personal protective equipment but received the contract regardless. Moreover, BYD Americas doesn't actually sell passenger cars in the United States. Instead, its primary Western markets include Latin America and Europe. The American subsidiary aims to open a new manufacturing plant in Mexico by 2026 that will produce 150,000 electric cars a year. These cars will mostly be sold in Latin American markets and not in the U.S., despite being subsidized by American taxpayers. The BYD company is involved with China's Belt and Road Initiative and receives subsidies from the Chinese government as well. Concerns over espionage led Congress to investigate BYD and other Chinese vehicle manufacturers earlier this year. (Related: Chinese electric vehicles could be "weaponized" by Beijing, report warns.)

U.S. allocates $3B fund to ramp up production of EV batteries and materials

Critics quickly pointed out the irony of the subsidy given to the China-linked robocar maker when the Biden-Harris administration insisted that it was meant to boost EV production in the United States and counter Chinese economic growth. Biden announced back in September over $3 billion in funding to U.S. manufacturers to ramp up production of advanced batteries and materials for EVs. The fund will support 25 projects across 14 politically significant states, with many considered battlegrounds in upcoming elections. They include Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, South Carolina and Louisiana. This is said to be a part of a broader effort by the Biden-Harris regime "to promote EVs and fight climate change." Companies receiving the grants will focus on processing lithium, graphite and other materials used in EV batteries, as well as manufacturing key components. "Today's awards move us closer to achieving the administration's goal of building an end-to-end supply chain for batteries and critical minerals here in America," said White House economic adviser Lael Brainard. This was the second round of grants under the bipartisan infrastructure law that was passed in 2021. Previously, $1.8 billion was allocated for 14 projects. This new round of funding brings the total U.S. investment in domestic battery and critical mineral supply chains to nearly $35 billion, according to Brainard. "We're using every tool at our disposal, from grants and loans to allocated tax credits," Brainard said, noting that the Biden administration has leveraged more than $100 billion in private investment. China currently controls much of the global supply chain for key minerals like lithium, rare earth elements and gallium, making the U.S. and its allies vulnerable. But last month, Brainard said tariffs on Chinese imports of critical minerals went up. Head over to RoboCars.news for more on the Biden-Harris administration's policies on electric vehicles. Watch the video below that talks about the House voting to scrap Biden-Harris' electric vehicle mandate. This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

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U.S. allocates $3B fund to ramp up production of EV batteries and materials

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