Chinese battery giant Gotion accused of 'bullying' rural Michigan community ... trends now
A Chinese battery giant has sued a small Michigan town over its opposition to plans to build a $2.4billion factory in its community, sparking accusations it is trying to 'bully' residents into submission.
Gotion, which 'pledges allegiance' to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), stepped up its war with Green Charter Township on Friday by filing a federal complaint accusing local officials of trying to scupper the project illegally.
The row centers over a deal agreed between Gotion and the previous township board, which was booted out by residents in a recall election in November over its support for the project.
Gotion has now accused the new board, which opposes the project on national security and environmental grounds, of failing to honor a contract that allows it access to crucial water supplies.
The lawsuit marks a dramatic escalation in a tussle which has sparked fierce debate over the perceived Chinese infiltration of American society.
Residents of the idyllic Green Charter Township in Michigan are leading a fightback against a Chinese-linked battery firm being built in their community.(L-R) Residents Kelly Cushway, Lori Brock, Debbie Diegert and Jeff Thorne protest the deal
A graphic rendering of the battery plant Gotion seeks to build in Green Charter Township
The town is divided over whether the project will boost the local economy or threaten national security and damage the surrounding environment
Township trustee Jeff Thorne described it as an 'aggressive move', accusing the Chinese firm of trying to intimate residents into submission.
'They are flexing their muscles,' he told DailyMail.com. 'It's a bully pit move. They're trying to say: "We're big, we've got lots of money and will take you to federal court".
'They assume we don't have the time or resources to counter that.
'But that's not true. We've rolled up our sleeves. We're in this for the long haul.'
The site is already under construction and Gotion completed the purchase of 270 acres of land in the community in August last year.
The firm says the project will bring 2,350 'well-paying' jobs to the town, located around 60 miles north of Grand Rapids.
It is also set to receive $175 million in state tax incentives and a 30-year tax abatement worth an estimated $540 million as part of its deal to locate in Mecosta County.
But politicians and residents have raised concerns over allowing a CCP-subsidiary to move into a site that is just 100 miles away from a US military camp where the Michigan National Guard has been training troops from Taiwan - a territory neighboring China some security experts, including among the US military, say Beijing is preparing to invade.
They have also cited environmental concerns, opposing the construction of an industrial factory in a rural idyll where rivers feed the Great Lakes of Michigan.
In November, residents kicked out their township board in a seismic recall election and inserted officials opposed to the project in their place.
Physical therapist Jeff Thorne, 64, who was elected as a town trustee last year, accused Gotion of trying to 'bully' residents into accepting their plans for a giant EV battery plant
