The Biden-Harris administration gave a six-figure subsidy to a China-linked electric vehicle company in late 2022 and, roughly a year later, its president showered the Democratic presidential ticket with tens of thousands of dollars in donations, records show.
BYD Americas received $395,000 through the Biden-Harris administration’s Clean School Bus program in October 2022, according to Environmental Protection Agency documents. Ke Li, the president of BYD Americas, then made four large donations to support President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign on Nov. 14, 2023, funds that were transferred to Vice President Kamala Harris in July after the president dropped out of the election, campaign finance disclosures show.
The Biden-Harris administration has long touted its electric vehicle agenda as a way to revitalize American manufacturing and to counter Chinese economic growth. Much of the government’s spending to boost the industry, however, has been a financial boon for China as Chinese companies benefit from taxpayer-funded subsidies.