National Security

“Over the past year, we have learned about the very concerning ties Gotion has with the Chinese Communist Party, including its parent company making products for the Chinese military, and the son of a CCP official leading Gotion’s American operations. The CCP will use any form of leverage it has to pursue its agenda and further its goals against the United States,” said Moolenaar. “The Gotion project is still not in the best interest of Michigan and should be stopped.” 

"While I support Ford’s decision to put the Marshall project on hold, President Biden should end his tailpipe policies and give American automakers and their employees the freedom to innovate and create the auto technologies of the future. Right now, Biden’s current policies force American auto companies to be more dependent on the Chinese Communist Party and the electric vehicle materials that China has a stranglehold on,” said Congressman John Moolenaar.

Congressman John Moolenaar and U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) have sent a letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen urging her and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to review the ownership of Gotion Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gotion High-Tech, which is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

In a letter, the lawmakers wrote, "The United States is locked in a fierce competition to prevent the PRC from dominating the key technologies of the 21st century, investing billions to reduce the CCP’s chokehold over critical supply chains. It is highly concerning that the U.S. government would facilitate this chokehold by actively supporting CCP-backed companies expanding their foothold in the U.S. market, especially in a sector such as lithium-ion battery manufacturing …Allowing a CCP-supported company to erode U.S. strength and development in the domestic battery sector threatens U.S. national security and vital supply chains, particularly when such companies can leverage U.S. taxpayer-funded investments and credits for lithium-ion batteries as offered by the Inflation Reduction Act."

"Gotion’s parent company and its employees actively celebrate the CCP and pledge to advance its goals. This includes when they make decisions about their wholly-owned subsidiary and its facilities in the United States. Anyone who thinks the subsidiary is truly independent is not looking at all the facts. Further, the recent reports of CCP nationals attempting to access military sites in the U.S. should be a concern for all Americans and raises yet another obvious reason to stop the Gotion project,” said Congressman John Moolenaar.

“Today’s news shows that Gotion misled state and local leaders on legal documents about how much it would pay Michigan workers. How many other misleading statements did Gotion and its U.S. subsidiary make in order to claim more than $1 billion in taxpayer funding for its project in Mecosta County? From nondisclosure agreements that hide details from the public to the obvious national security concerns in our country’s competition with the Chinese Communist Party, this project is wrong for Michigan,” said Congressman John Moolenaar.

"I will continue to do everything I can to bring to light the risks of this project. Mecosta County residents have overwhelmingly spoken out against this deal while being bullied and kept in the dark by Gotion and local officials who signed non-disclosure agreements that go against the public’s right to know. The simple facts are that Gotion is a subsidiary of a company that pledges allegiance to the CCP and it should not be receiving taxpayer money to build in Michigan. For our state to welcome CCP investment in Michigan 100 miles from the same facility where the Michigan National Guard has worked with military officials from Taiwan is a dangerous double standard that puts national security at risk. This land purchase is the wrong direction for Michigan and our communities," said Moolenaar. 

“Under the CCP’s military-civil fusion there is no difference between doing business with CCP companies and doing business with China’s military. Along with the recent State Department travel warning that made it clear that doing due diligence on investments in China could lead to unwarranted detainment in a CCP prison, it is clearer than ever the CCP is not a reliable financial partner. America’s non-profits must stop investing in CCP companies,” said Congressman Moolenaar.