Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party and U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) have jointly sent a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, urging the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to immediately add Contemporary Amperex Technology Limited (CATL) to the Section 1260H list. This list identifies Chinese entities operating in the U.S. that are linked to the People's Liberation Army (PLA) or contribute to China's Military-Civil Fusion Strategy.
CATL, an electric vehicle battery company, is noted for its strong connections to both the Chinese Communist Party and the PLA. The company plays a significant role in China's policy aimed at enhancing its military capabilities through civil-military integration. According to Moolenaar and Rubio, reliance on CATL batteries poses a threat to U.S. national security by increasing dependency on China for energy infrastructure and supporting military systems that could potentially target American troops in future conflicts.
The DoD has previously recognized CATL as a threat but has not yet included it on the 1260H list. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 prohibits the DoD from contracting with entities listed under Section 1260H, including CATL.
Congressman John Moolenaar Chairman of the Select Committee on the CCP
| Official U.S. House headshot
In their letter, Moolenaar and Rubio stated, "U.S. policymakers have a duty to stand in resolute opposition to any effort by America’s adversaries that threaten our national and economic security. By including CATL on the Section 1260H List, the DoD would not only safeguard America’s military infrastructure from exposure to the PLA, it would also send a powerful signal to U.S. companies who are currently weighing partnerships with CATL."
Previously, in December, members of the Select Committee along with Senator Rubio led a bipartisan letter opposing the use of CATL batteries at Camp Lejeune, resulting in their removal by the DoD. In June, Moolenaar and Rubio uncovered new evidence linking CATL and another CCP-linked battery company, Gotion, to slave labor practices.
