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Ford Motor CEO Jim Farley warned Tuesday that Europe waited too long to fend off Chinese automakers, while the United States still has time to proceed cautiously. He urged politicians to study Europe’s experience before deciding whether Chinese automotive brands should enter the American market.

“I think it’s just important for us to take our time to be considerate,” Farley said at the Automotive News Congress in Detroit. “I watch what’s happening in Europe right now, where that was not the case, and it’s really something that they have to deal with now, and it’s too late.”

The numbers show how rapidly Chinese brands have expanded. Their global market share jumped nearly 70% from 2020 through 2025, according to market research and consulting firm GlobalData.

Chinese automakers held virtually no market share in Europe during 2020, but their share reached 12% in August, according to Dataforce, which is based in Germany. That sharp increase forms the backdrop for Farley’s warning about America’s remaining window to deliberate.

Ford now faces the complicated task of competing against an influx of Chinese automakers entering Europe while also seeking selected partnerships with Chinese companies. Those arrangements are intended to help fill plants and provide assistance with technologies including electric vehicle batteries.

Ford and Chinese automaker Geely announced in July that Geely planned to produce electric vehicles at a Spanish plant owned by Ford. The vehicles are expected to be built by early next year through a new manufacturing joint venture.

“Our answer is pretty simple. We’re going to partner with the Chinese where we don’t have [intellectual property], where we can be more capital efficient in places like Europe or Southeast Asia,” Farley said Tuesday.

At the same time, Farley said Ford intends to compete directly against Chinese manufacturers. The company is preparing to introduce what it calls its universal electric vehicle next year, beginning with a pickup truck.

The strategy has drawn attention from the Trump administration. Earlier this month, the administration sent Ford a letter expressing “profound concern” about the automaker’s relationships with Chinese companies and questioning the strategic direction those ties represent.

Ford defended its position at the time by pointing to its American manufacturing footprint. The company described itself as America’s top producing carmaker and said it employs more hourly workers in the United States than any other automaker.

Farley’s warning followed a prominent meeting last week between Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump. The visit came as the future of Chinese automotive companies in the American market remains a live policy question.

Earlier this month, Trump said he might be “OK” with Chinese automakers entering the United States if they manufactured their vehicles domestically. Farley’s remarks emphasized that policymakers still have time to consider the consequences before making such a decision.

Congress is also weighing legislation that could restrict Chinese automotive brands or permanently prohibit them from entering the United States. Those proposals represent a far tougher approach than allowing Chinese companies to establish domestic production.

Ford’s position combines competition with carefully chosen cooperation, particularly where the automaker lacks intellectual property or sees opportunities to use capital more efficiently. Farley’s central warning was that Europe has already lost its chance to move cautiously, while America has not.

DISCLAIMER: GoldInvestors.news is not a registered investment, legal or tax advisor or broker/dealer. All investment/financial opinions expressed by GoldInvestors.news are from the personal research and experience of the owner of the site and are intended as educational material. Although best efforts are made to ensure that all information is accurate and up to date, occasionally unintended errors and misprints may occur.