Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance intensified his criticism of a state-funded battery parts plant project in Michigan, linked to China, during a campaign rally on Tuesday. Vance targeted the $2.4 billion Gotion Inc. plant in Green Township, Mecosta County, which has faced local and political opposition due to its ties to China and the secrecy surrounding the deal.
Vance argued that the tax incentives provided to Gotion Inc., whose parent company is based in Hefei, China, signify Democrats “helping China.” He accused the Biden-Harris administration of facilitating Chinese interests at the expense of American manufacturing. “Kamala Harris not only wants to allow the Chinese Communist Party to build factories on American soil; she wants to pay them to do it with our tax dollars,” Vance said.
The Gotion project, announced in October 2022, has been controversial, with concerns about its impact on the local community and national security. The project plans to construct a massive facility on the outskirts of Big Rapids, employing approximately 2,350 people and producing battery components for electric vehicles and energy storage systems.
Additionally, Gotion Inc., though founded in China in 2006, has had a U.S. subsidiary in California since 2014. The company, where Volkswagen AG holds a significant stake, has a board comprising members from Germany, the U.S., and China. Despite its international ties, the project has faced backlash from local residents and Michigan Republicans, who view it as a threat to U.S. interests.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer and other Democrats have defended the incentives, arguing that they are crucial for keeping the automotive and EV battery industries within the U.S. Moreover, Whitmer highlighted the importance of innovation and competition in the global auto industry, emphasizing the need for the U.S. not to fall behind Chinese and European companies in EV innovation.
Moreover, in his broader critique of the Biden-Harris administration, Vance slammed their economic, foreign, and border policies, labeling Harris as the “candidate of American decline.” He pointed to rising grocery and gas prices, unaffordable housing, and an influx of illegal immigration as evidence of the administration’s failures.
Vance’s visit to Michigan followed a similar event hosted by Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mike Rogers, who also criticized the Gotion project and the use of taxpayer money to support it. The issue has become a rallying point for Republicans in Michigan, with Trump himself expressing strong opposition to the project, citing concerns over Chinese influence in the U.S.
Vance’s remarks at the rally were met with applause from a crowd of about 1,000 supporters, reflecting the growing tension over foreign investments in critical industries like automotive manufacturing in the U.S. The debate over the Gotion project is likely to continue as it becomes a focal point in the upcoming elections.
