More than 70 Democrats in the US House of Representatives on Tuesday called on President Donald Trump not to permit Chinese automakers to build or sell vehicles in the United States. The letter, led by Representatives Debbie Dingell and Ro Khanna, urges the administration to keep a ban in place that has the strong backing of US and foreign carmakers and other auto groups, Reuters reported. The push follows a similar effort earlier this month by three Democratic senators — Tammy Baldwin, Elissa Slotkin and Chuck Schumer — who wrote to Trump warning that allowing Chinese automakers in would create an economic advantage that American manufacturers could not overcome. They also flagged a national security risk that could not be reversed — a topic that the Democratic House Members further addressed in the new letter. The senators also urged the administration to designate BYD and other Chinese automakers as military-connected entities. The two letters came ahead of a planned summit between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, planned for next month. Pressure on Trump Congressional pressure to block Chinese automakers from the US market has been building on both sides of the aisle. Five major auto trade groups, representing General Motors, Ford, Toyota, Volkswagen, Hyundai and others, wrote to the White House late last year calling China a “clear and present threat” and urging the administration to block Chinese government-backed automakers and battery manufacturers from opening plants in the country. The signals from the Trump administration have varied, however. In January, during a speech at the Detroit Economic Club, Trump said he would welcome Chinese automakers building factories on American soil. Weeks later, his administration forced out the Commerce Department official who led the development of the Biden-era connected vehicle ban — regulations that effectively prohibit Chinese passenger vehicles from