Small Michigan Town Becomes U.S.-China Battleground

Green Charter Township in Michigan has become a battleground in the economic contest between the US and China, as residents oppose a plan by Gotion, a Chinese company subsidiary, to build a $2.4 billion electric vehicle battery factory. Many fear the company's presence is a dangerous infiltration by the Chinese Communist Party, leading to backlash, death threats, and attempts to unseat elected officials who supported the project. Concerns about national security and growing anti-China sentiment have led to a broader movement by states to erect new barriers to Chinese investment. While animosity towards China has deterred Chinese investment in the US in recent years, new federal incentives aimed at spurring American production of electric vehicles are starting to attract foreign companies, including those from China. However, the possibility of American taxpayers subsidizing Chinese firms has sparked anger and scrutiny at the local level and in Congress.