"Spying". The default word people here use to justify we shouldn't let China compete at the highest value chain.

Also true, but China is spying on their own people already. I would not be surprised if Chinese EVs are sending data to the government.

So the tech is there. And then it comes to trust. Will they not send data when they sell cars outside China?

Yep. Call it whatever you like. The west should not let China compete at all. Not before we learn Winnie The Pooh's plans for the world in 2049.

Cooperating with this evil is like driving into a brick wall to demonstrate how much freedom you have.

Evil depends on what perspective you're looking at.

Every American has been fed so much propaganda that they see this as good vs evil fight.

Meanwhile, when I visited China, people there only saw this as a political fight. A theater for economical gains. That's it.

But in order to sell the American public on their actions, politicians have to demonize their foreign opponents in every way possible - often portraying them as "evil".

I'm sorry but you have no grounds to claim you know Chinese people's political outlook based on a visit.

Mainland China is still cut off from knowing a big chunk of human thought. Realism - the school of thought you're describing - is the Marxist mode in a place you can't vocally disagree without serious consequences. No wonder it's what you heard.