The Secret Superpower of Chinese Automakers? Dr. Ilaria Mazzocco, Senior Fellow, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)

Dr. Ilaria Mazzocco and her colleagues at CSIS found that Chinese subsidies to companies in strategic industries are more than twice as high as in other countries. The numbers are not insignificant. This week, we learned that BYD secured some $3.4 billion in subsidies in 2023 alone.  As a group Chinese automakers have benefited from tens of billions of dollars in supply side and consumer subsidies since 2010. Complicating the picture, however, is the reality that China is also home to some fast-moving, highly innovative firms led by people who work harder and sometimes smarter than their peers in the West. Today, Ilaria and I dive deeper into the question of Chinese state capitalism, subsidies and how the West can respond to the rising tide - call it a tsunami - of low-cost, good quality Chinese automotive exports.