According to an investigation by the Daily Caller News Foundation, the U.S. subsidiary of BYD, a Chinese-owned electric vehicle (EV) giant, and its top executive, Stella Li, have strategically channeled hundreds of thousands of dollars into Democratic campaign coffers over the past decade.
BYD, recognized as the largest EV producer globally and headquartered in China, has been under scrutiny following a Congressional ban in January on the Pentagon purchasing its batteries, citing security risks.
This decision by Congress reflects growing concerns over the ties between Chinese corporations and U.S. political figures.
The company and Stella Li have been particularly active in California, a stronghold for Democratic politics, where they have contributed significantly.
Records indicate that between 2020 and 2023, BYD and Li contributed over $40,000 to the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and over $30,000 towards groups supporting President Joe Biden’s 2024 reelection campaign.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has been a notable beneficiary, receiving about $60,000 between 2018 and 2023 from Li and BYD USA.
This financial connection drew attention when Newsom awarded BYD a $1 billion no-bid contract to supply protective gear during the coronavirus pandemic—a decision controversially made despite BYD’s primary business not being in medical supplies.
Furthermore, during a trip to China in 2023, Newsom took a highly publicized test drive of a BYD vehicle, further entangling political and business interests.
Other significant recipients include former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Michael Anotovich, former Chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, who both directed funds towards projects that potentially favored BYD, like the Los Angeles municipal clean bus testing program.
This pattern extends to the California Democratic Party and several political figures, who have collectively received tens of thousands from BYD USA and its executives.
In 2018, BYD USA also contributed $25,000 to California For Safe, Reliable Infrastructure, a 501(c)(4) organization opposing Proposition 6, which sought to repeal a recent tax increase on gasoline and require voter approval for future increases.
BYD has been actively involved in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). This trillion-dollar effort aims to build infrastructure and extend China’s economic reach across the globe, which experts like those at the Jamestown Foundation see as a potential challenge to U.S. geopolitical influence.
BYD’s participation in the BRI underscores its alignment with Chinese governmental ambitions, as reflected by its positive portrayal on the official Chinese government “Belt and Road Portal.”
BYD aims to include its exploration of the U.S. market through Mexico and benefit from new EPA emissions standards.
The U.S. Congress has taken steps to limit the influence of companies like BYD, which are linked to strategic competitors. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for both 2020 and 2023 included provisions restricting public funds from supporting China-linked transportation companies and banning the purchase of batteries from BYD by the Pentagon starting in 2027.
The silence from the offices of prominent Democratic figures and entities in response to inquiries about these contributions only adds to the growing unease about transparency and the motivations behind these financial ties.