Whitmer-Appointed Board Approves $715 Million Contract With Company Tied to Communist Chinese Government

One thing about communists is that they look out for each other, and Democrats have done all in their power to aid communist China, especially Joe Biden, aka The Big Guy.

Gretchen Whitmer appointed board, the Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF) has awarded a contract for $715 million dollars to a battery manufacturer with deep ties to the communist regime in China. The SMF board, chaired by Quentin Messer and 11 others appointed by Whitmer voted to award the contract to Gotion Inc.

They have approved a Renaissance Zone tax exemption request and awarded them state grants totaling $175 million dollars. The China-based company named Gotion Inc, and its billionaire chairman, who has close ties to the communists have accepted the offer and they say they plan to build a $2.4 billion dollar factory just outside of Big Rapids.

In total, as the Detroit News reported, the $715 million in grants and tax exemptions include:

The property tax exemption granted by the board for the Michigan Economic Development Corp. will save the company $540 million over a 30-year period, according to estimates. The approval comes after three local government boards last week unanimously approved the Renaissance Zone request for the project that’s expected to create 2,350 jobs over the next decade [Emphasis added].

The $175 million in grant funding is made possible through new programs the state Legislature created at the end of 2021 to spur economic development in the state.

The MSF board specifically approved a $50 million Strategic Site Readiness Program grant and a $125 million Critical Industry Program grant. The money for those grants will come from the state’s Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve (SOAR) Fund. The Michigan Legislature last week approved a $1 billion spending plan with $846 million going to the SOAR Fund [Emphasis added].

This company acts as an arm of the communist regime and has taken the money grab and will compete against American companies, many of whom were started or aided by government grants. Again, the taxpayers will be left holding the bag as usual. That largesse includes 523 acres of land or about one square mile. In fact, Messer told the Detroit News that the MSF was actively pursuing a deal with the China-based company.

Gotion was actually founded in 2006 in Hefei, China, and was China’s first power battery company to enter the capital market. Gotion , whose corporate offices are located in California will use the money they get from Michigan to build the plant.

From Breitbart News

The company is headed by Li Zhen, a Chinese billionaire with deep ties to the CCP. Zhen is the second-largest shareholder of Gotion, behind only Volkswagen, according to Electrive, and is considered the company’s “de facto controller.” He was a member of the 13th, 14th, and 15th National People’s Conference Hefei Committee, a local affiliate of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

According to the Diplomat, “the CPPCC today is a key part of China’s ‘united front’ work, which is designed to liaise with non-Communist Party members — and ultimately see them work with the CCP to advance its interests.” Mao Tse Tung infamously called the United Front one of his “three magic weapons,” along with the Communist Party and Red Army, in quelling pro-democracy republican forces in the Chinese Civil War.

Given all of this, Zhen’s position within the CPPCC means he was either a direct member of the CCP or a member of a satellite party with the mission of supporting the “United Front” and Communist policies in his region of China.