By Paul Vieira
OTTAWA--Canadians who buy Chinese-made electric vehicles won't be allowed to enter the U.S., says America's ambassador in Canada.
In a deal revealed earlier this year, Canada agreed to allow up to 49,000 EVs assembled in China to enter the country at a sharply lower tariff rate. Previously, Canada slapped a 100% tariff on China-made EVs. Prime Minister Mark Carney agreed to sharply reduce the levy on some imports in return for Beijing reducing tariffs on Canadian agricultural products, in a trip to Beijing in January where he met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
General Motors Chief Executive Mary Barra has warned the Canada-China pact threatens North American auto manufacturing.
U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra said the Chinese EVs purchased in Canada won't be allowed to enter the U.S. at border entry points. "That ain't going to happen. Okay?," said Hoekstra in an interview with the right-wing news outlet, Rebel News.
"That car driving around from China, it's a great gobbler of data and information. And it's consuming and getting information and at times it will be sending information."
Hoekstra's remarks don't necessarily represent official U.S. policy, and the White House has yet to issue a ban. But his comments signal U.S. unease with Canadian policies aimed at closer ties with China, America's biggest geopolitical rival.
U.S. officials are set to undertake a review of the existing U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade treaty in the coming months, and the trade pact's uncertainty has cast a pall over Canada's economic outlook.
Representatives from the Canadian government weren't immediately available for comment.
Write to Paul Vieira at paul.vieira@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
03-31-26 1603ET
