Major automakers say China poses 'clear and present threat' to U.S. auto industry

WASHINGTON, Dec 11 - Major automakers on Thursday urged Washington to prevent Chinese government-backed automakers and battery manufacturers from gaining entry in the United States to open manufacturing plants, warning the industry's future is at stake.

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents General Motors, Ford, Toyota Motor, Volkswagen, Hyundai and other major automakers, said Congress and the Trump administration needed to act.

"China poses a clear and present threat to the auto industry in the U.S," the group wrote in a statement for a U.S. House hearing on Chinese vehicles. The group also said lawmakers should maintain the U.S. Commerce Department's prohibition on importing information and communications technology and services from China that effectively bars the import of vehicles from Chinese manufacturers.