Canada is “absolutely” considering following a major proposal by the United States to ban Chinese automotive technology, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland told reporters Tuesday.
This comes after the White House announced Monday a proposal to ban Chinese software and hardware in connected vehicles on American roads due to national security concerns.
The move would mark the latest crackdown on China’s automotive industry by the Biden administration and would effectively bar all Chinese cars from entering the U.S. market.
It also raises questions about whether Canada will do the same, after matching America’s lead in slapping high tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and weighing further restrictions.
When asked if Canada was considering a similar move, Freeland said, “The short answer is: absolutely.”
“A longer answer is our government has made very clear that we take really seriously intentional Chinese overcapacity and we take very seriously the security threat from China,” she added. “That’s why we acted decisively in imposing tariffs …