“Cars today have cameras, microphones, GPS tracking, and other technologies connected to the internet,” she said in a statement.
“It doesn’t take much imagination to understand how a foreign adversary with access to this information could pose a serious risk to both our national security and the privacy of US citizens.”
Chinese officials said the US was broadening “the concept of national security” to unfairly target Chinese firms.
“China opposes the US’s broadening of the concept of national security and the discriminatory actions taken against Chinese companies and products,” said Lin Jian, spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry, in a statement.
“We urge the US side to respect market principles and provide an open, fair, transparent, and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises.”
The proposal, which will now enter a comment period, is the latest from the White House aiming to limit China’s presence in the car manufacturing supply chain.
The White House has also raised tariffs on electric cars, batteries for electric vehicle and a range of other items. It has separately banned the import of Chinese-made cargo cranes, warning of cyber-security risk.
