Spain welcomes Chinese EVs

Spain is deepening its embrace of the Chinese car industry even as other European powers call for protectionist measures to shield local automakers.

A Spanish factory built by Chinese battery giant CATL and carmaker Stellantis will rely on workers brought from China during construction, Bloomberg reported. Two other industrial ventures with Chinese auto companies are in the works.

One out of every 10 new cars registered in the EU in May was made by a Chinese brand, but that momentum could slow if Brussels ramps up trade-defense measures. China has developed a “pirate model” that relies on cloning designs, extracting technology, and subsidizing local champions, a White House trade adviser argued: “This will not end well unless the West unites.”