Electric Vehicles in U.S.–China Relations: Industrial Competition, Supply Chains, and Climate Goals
Electric vehicles are widely seen as essential to reducing transportation-related emissions and advancing global climate goals. At the same time, U.S.–China relations have entered a period of strategic competition, reshaping trade policy, industrial strategy, and global supply chains. In recent years, China has rapidly expanded its EV manufacturing capacity and supply chain integration, while the United States has sought to strengthen domestic production through industrial policy measures. Yet amid intensifying strategic competition, EV has also become a focal point of economic rivalry. This panel asks how a sector so central to everyday life and global decarbonization should be positioned amid geopolitical tensions and competing national climate strategies. What role do standards, market rules, technology security, and supply chain transparency play in shaping the future of the industry? Does industrial competition inevitably translate into climate confrontation, or are there areas where communication and pragmatic coordination remain necessary? By examining the respective strengths, constraints, and policy choices of both countries, the discussion will explore how competition in the EV sector can be managed in ways that serve not only national interests, but also shared climate objectives and the broader public good.
The Institute for China-America Studies (ICAS) is an independent think tank in Washington D.C. ICAS focuses on the evolving dynamics in the U.S.-China relationship to promote greater collaboration and mutual understanding through sincere exchanges of fresh ideas, objective policy-oriented research, and fair assessments of this critical bilateral relationship. We aim to provide a window into the worldviews of both the United States and China, and thereby serve as a vehicle to promote greater understanding between these two countries and societies.
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Update: Due to high demand, the event has now reached the capacity of our conference space, and we are unfortunately unable to approve additional registrations at this time. That said, unregistered attendees are still welcome to drop by, and we will do our best to accommodate walk-ins as space allows.
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