Stellantis Deepens Europe’s Reliance on China With CATL Plant

Stellantis NV, the maker of Peugeot and Jeep vehicles, and China’s CATL broke ground on a €4.1 billion ($4.7 billion) battery plant in northern Spain, a project that highlights Europe’s growing reliance on Chinese technology.

Despite European Union efforts to counter Beijing’s growing influence, Spain has emerged as a key ally. The investment was hailed by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s administration, even though there has been criticism over Chinese company’s reliance on its own staff for the expansion.