The revelation that California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) received $50,000 in campaign donations from a senior BYD official has intensified debate over the state’s procurement practices and the broader security implications of Chinese involvement in critical infrastructure.
Campaign contributions
Li Ke, who serves as executive vice‑president of BYD Company and president of BYD Americas, contributed $20,000 to Newsom’s 2018 gubernatorial campaign and a further $30,000 to his 2022 re‑election bid, according to California campaign‑finance filings. The total amount surpasses all other donations Li has made to California candidates combined.
Pentagon designation
Earlier this week the US Department of Defense added BYD to a list of Chinese firms deemed to support Beijing’s military modernisation. The list, first compiled in 2021, targets companies that provide private‑sector technology to the People’s Liberation Army.
Analysts have long warned that BYD is closely linked to the Chinese government, citing its participation in the Communist Party’s “Made in China 2025” plan to dominate the global electric‑vehicle supply chain. The US‑China Economic and Security Review Commission has documented how state subsidies and joint military research have propelled BYD to become the world’s largest EV manufacturer.
State contracts and performance issues
Since 2018 the Newsom administration has awarded BYD several contracts, notably a $1 billion no‑bid agreement to supply COVID‑19 masks and a separate deal to provide electric buses for the state’s decarbonisation programme. The mask contract attracted criticism after BYD missed delivery deadlines and failed initial federal certification reviews.
In 2020 California selected BYD to deliver electric buses despite federal restrictions on funding for vehicles produced by firms with Chinese military ties.
Political reaction
Former US ambassador Joseph Cella, now president of the Secure Our States Coalition, warned that the governor may have become a vulnerable point for Chinese influence, stating: "China's always looking for a weak link and I think that they found a weak link in Governor Newsom." He added: "The Department of Defense has blacklisted BYD for a reason, it means there is a threat to U.S. national security."
Lawmakers have questioned Newsom’s defence of BYD after Congress blocked California’s electric‑vehicle mandate, with the governor arguing that the policy would prevent the company from selling vehicles in the United States because of their foreign production.
Company profile and response
BYD does not market consumer electric cars in the United States but operates an electric‑bus manufacturing plant in Southern California. A 2019 Radarlock report noted that many of the firm’s products incorporate components sourced from Chinese state‑owned enterprises.
Both the governor’s office and BYD declined to comment when approached for a statement.