Unprecedented Dispatch of Manpower in the Construction of a 4 Billion Euro Battery Factory
Table of Contents
China’s world’s largest electric vehicle battery manufacturer, CATL, is sending 2,000 Chinese personnel to Spain to build a 4 billion euro (approximately 6.62 trillion won) battery factory. The Financial Times (FT) reported this on September 27th (local time).
This unprecedented input of manpower from the Chinese industry in Europe’s largest economy is raising concerns that Europe will become more dependent on Chinese electric vehicle technology.
4 Billion Euro Plant Built with Unprecedented chinese Workforce
CATL is building a battery factory utilizing lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) technology in Pigeruelas near Zaragoza,Spain,as part of a joint project with Stellantis. The factory site is 100 football field-sized,and production is planned to begin at the end of next year.
China’s CATL Builds ‘Fortress’ Strategy with Massive Factory Expansion and Workforce
Chinese battery giant CATL is considerably expanding its manufacturing capabilities, investing 5.5 trillion won (approximately $4.2 billion USD) in a new, large-scale factory. While details regarding the employment of foreign professionals remain undisclosed, experts suggest this expansion aligns with a broader strategic initiative spearheaded by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Chinese ‘Fortress’ Strategy
Experts believe CATL’s large-scale workforce deployment is consistent with xi Jinping’s strategy of building a self-sufficient “fortress” while concurrently increasing global reliance on china’s manufacturing prowess.
Yoris Ther, an economic security analyst at the Security Research Institute of the European Union (EU), explained, “The reason Chinese companies strictly protect intellectual property rights are partially like war surrounding Taiwan. ‘Extreme situation’ to allow the Chinese economy to withstand.”
ther further elaborated, “Xi Jinping makes China a self-sufficiency fortress, and simultaneously occurring trying to make the rest of the world more dependent on China’s manufacturing industry.” He added that Chinese battery manufacturers, including CATL, have a strong incentive to prevent the outflow of core technologies.
CATL was added to the US Department of Defense’s list of companies with ties to the Chinese military earlier this year. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen recently engaged with the Spanish government regarding concerns about CATL’s operations, stating, “It will…
More on Asian battery manufacturers such as energy solutions.
CATL currently occupies 38% of the global electric vehicle battery market,holding the number one position. Chinese battery makers overall control 67.1% of the global market.
Concerns over technology subordination even in the face of welcoming spanish politics
CATL’s business is supported by major Spanish political parties. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez met with President Xi Jinping three times in the past year and a half and has been actively seeking cooperation with China. Even the conservative opposition party (PP) largely supports the battery factory project, mirroring the government’s stance.
Aragon State Marbakero (National Party) stated, “The relationship between Spain and china is very crucial for these businesses. It should be taken for granted that China enters another country as a country with high levels of innovation and technology.”
Though,the right-wing party,Vox,strongly opposes this project. Alejandro Nolsko Box, a Vox Aragonist Representative, said, “We will not actually get anything,” criticizing, “China will take technology and money.”
Chairman Benito Teshier of the Aragon Automobile Industry Association…