Michiganders Protest Construction of Chinese Factory

Michiganders Protest Construction of Chinese Factory

(RepublicanReport.org) – Michigan has plenty of factories and natural resources, two things that help fuel that state’s economy. While many of the communities there welcome the development that comes with such territory, one Michigan town is speaking out about the latest proposal. Out in rural Mecosta County, citizens of Green Charter Township and Big Rapids are sounding the alarm over a Chinese-based company building a factory in their small county.

During a town board meeting on March 14, over 100 locals gathered to condemn Gotion Global, a business headquartered in Shanghai, China. The company already has offices in two American cities, Fremont, California, and Independence, Ohio, and has expanded to Japan, Germany, and Singapore as well.

Gotion is trying to build a factory for electric vehicle batteries in the towns and has already gotten the Michigan legislature to approve $585 million in taxpayer dollars to help build the plant and two similar ones. However, all the local pushback nudged the town board to vote to have the federal government review any potential risks to national security should the deal move forward. While this plays out, Gotion has put the plan on hold.

Michigan news outlet The Midwesterner shared some footage from the town meeting:

Another resident highlighted how the company would be taking advantage of the town’s waterways and highways, wearing them down without having to pay for them. She believes the potential destruction would leave their town looking like Detroit. She ended by declaring that she is “all for business, but not communist business.”

Residents cited numerous issues with the plant, from potential pollution problems to the company’s request to be tax-free for 30 years. However, above all else, the locals highlighted that allowing Gotion to build a factory in their town would be allowing Communist China to have a foot in the door and could pose major risks to national security. Some locals wonder what threats it would bring to spy on a local level too.

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