It is very difficult to safeguard your trade secrets with such arrangement. Basically, CATL is giving Ford unfettered access to its battery technology. The only benefit is denying your competitors from obtaining more marketshare from you. As the leading batteries maker in the world, CATL needs to think in the long term.
I wonder if Ford has any intention to make batteries in the future and becomes an integrated EV maker like BYD. They probably don't. BTW, the patent for LFP batteries expired in 2022 except in China.
At this point, who can produce LFP batteries is not the most important thing. Who can produce it most cost-effectively and in the largest scale possible is probably more important. Also, the devil is in detail: who can improve the LFP chemistry, increasing its energy density? Who can improve the battery packing technologies, packing the cells more efficiently and safely? The LFP technology will keep evolving. With Chinese battery makers' experience and R&D prowess, they probably have no problem to stay at the cutting edge of LFP battery technology. On the other hand, by the time other battery makers figure out how to manufacture LFP battery in large scale, China's sodium battery, semi-solid-state battery, or even solid-state battery will probably come online. Remember, China has the world's best physics and chemistry research institutions according to Nature Index, I have no doubt they will produce a lot of state-of-the-art results in battery technologies.
BYD is the number one battery EV brand in China, Israel, and New Zealand in January 2023.
Subaru will become a Chinese company?