WASHINGTON, March 13 (Reuters) - Major auto trade groups

urged the U.S. government to keep Chinese carmakers out of the

country, according to a letter seen by Reuters, potentially

complicating President Donald Trump'splanned summit with Chinese

President Xi Jinping.

The groups raised "serious concerns about China's ongoing

efforts to dominate global automotive manufacturing and to gain

access to the U.S. market. These actions pose a direct threat to

America's global competitiveness, national security, and

automotive industrial base."

The five groups representing automakers, car dealers and

parts manufacturers called for maintaining a 2025 Commerce

Department cybersecurity regulation that effectively keeps

nearly all Chinese vehicles out of the U.S. market.

The Chinese embassy in Washington rejected the criticism,

saying Chinese-made cars are popular globally "not by using

so-called 'unfair practices' but by emerging from the fierce

market competition with technological innovation and superb

quality. China's door has been open to global auto companies,

including US auto companies who have fully shared in the

dividends of China's big market."

The auto industry letter also criticized Canada's

announcement it would allow some Chinese vehicles into its

market.

Trump is expected to visit China from March 31, as the

world's two biggest economies seek to maintain the stability

that has characterized their relations since late last year,

after a bruising period marked by Trump's tariffs and China's

chokehold on rare earths exports.

"We also strongly urge the Administration to reject any

attempt by Chinese manufacturers to circumvent these existing

restrictions by establishing production facilities in the U.S.,"

said the letter, dated Thursday, from the Alliance for

Automotive Innovation, the National Automobile Dealers

Association, Autos Drive America, the American Automotive Policy

Council and MEMA, the Vehicle Suppliers Association.

"The market distortions and risks to the auto industry in

the U.S. are fundamentally the same whether these vehicles are

imported or produced domestically," it said.

In January, Trump said he was open to Chinese automakers

building vehicles in the United States. "If they want to come in

and build a plant and hire you and hire your friends and your

neighbors, that's great, I love that," he told the Detroit

Economic Club.

In December, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which

represents General Motors ( GM ), Ford, Toyota Motor ( TM ), Volkswagen,

Hyundai, Stellantis ( STLA ) and other major automakers, said "China

poses a clear and present threat to the auto industry in the

U.S." and urged Washington to prevent Chinese government-backed

automakers and battery manufacturers from opening U.S.

manufacturing plants.