DETROIT, Mich., (WPBN/WGTU) — With the Detroit Auto Show back in the Motor City for 2024, there is a lot of pride in what Michiganders are designing and manufacturing for the world.

But there are also renewed concerns about what’s being described as a potential threat to our state’s economy, and your private data via a car you may someday drive.

“Make no mistake, other states and nations like China are gunning for Michigan auto jobs,” Governor Gretchen Whitmer said at the Detroit Auto Show. “For America to win, we must all recognize that all of us are on the same team.”

At the Detroit Auto Show, where America’s fastest and finest are on display, a word of warning from the governor about China’s potential impact.

“We see the bad version of this story playing out in Europe right now, where Chinese electric cars and batteries are gobbling up market share,” Whitmer said. “European automakers are worried that they’re falling behind. More than 12 million European direct and indirect auto industry jobs are at risk.”

The governor seeing China as a threat to one of Michigan’s valuable auto industry, one that directly or indirectly affects the employment of a fifth of all Michigan workers.

“This is a matter of national security,” Whitmer said. “We cannot let that happen.”

Tough talk about China from the governor but raising questions from some.

“If she is ready to show she is serious about stopping the Chinese Communist Party from taking over our auto industry, she will end the state subsidies she approved for Chinese auto suppliers,” US Congressman John Moolenaar (R-2nd District) said.

Moolenaar and other lawmakers from Lansing to Washington have questioned state support for projects like China-based Gotion’s plans to build a battery factory in Mecosta County. When it was announced saying, “To take millions of dollars from Michigan taxpayers and give it to a subsidiary of a company that pledges allegiance to the Chinese Communist Party is a historic mistake by the Michigan legislature.”

He and others believe supporting Chinese suppliers puts American suppliers and jobs at risk. But Senator Gary Peters believes some Chinese imports also put our national security at risk.

“Chinese Communist Party-backed companies want to flood the U.S. and global marketplace with artificially cheap vehicles that are capable of stealing Americans’ personal data,” Peters said.

It’s why he supported the recent US Department of Commerce’s finalization of a proposed rule to protect American consumers.

The rule addresses the importation of vehicles and technologies controlled by Chinese Party-backed companies to be imported or sold in the United States. In a previous report, we told you about the data collection concerns some have about our modern cars.

“Our connected services that we use in our cars can track where we’re going and what we’re doing and what we’re listening to, *Privacy not Included program director Jen Caltrider said. “Cars have become kind of a data collection beast.”

The new rules are intended to keep that data out of the hands of Chinese-backed companies. It also aims to secure the United States automotive supply chain while China seeks to flood the global automotive market with highly subsidized Chinese vehicles.

“Given the uneven playing field, allowing Chinese Communist Party-controlled vehicles into our country would also jeopardize Michigan’s long-held global leadership in automotive innovation,” Peters said.

You can’t drive to China, but there is growing concern from both sides of the political aisle, that the Chinese threat may come via a car, and that if nothing is done, national security…and Michigan’s economy may pay the price.

“If we don’t act, that could be our future too. One where we allow companies that are subsidized by the Chinese government to sell at a loss and crush the core of our economy.” Whitmer said. “That’s not going to happen. Not on our watch.”

According to the latest data available, China dominates global car production.

In 2023, they produced more than 30 million vehicles compared the United States, which came in at number two with a little more than 10 million cars produced.