As the world shifts towards electric vehicles, a US subsidiary of China's Gotion High-tech Co. Ltd., Gotion Inc., is planning to set up electric vehicle battery plants in Illinois and Michigan. The company has received substantial tax credits and subsidies to achieve this goal. However, local residents and politicians are raising concerns about the impact of these plants on their communities and the potential involvement of forced labor.

The Illinois facility has already started gearing up to begin operations, but the proposed factory in Michigan has become a contentious issue, with the Trump campaign and some Democrats now questioning the deal. The opposition is not just about job creation or economic benefits but also about the potential risks to local communities.

The concerns are multifaceted. For one, the plants will add thousands of new residents to the towns, putting pressure on schools, housing, and infrastructure. Moreover, the lack of community input in the decision-making process has raised eyebrows. Local residents are worried that the deal was made behind closed doors, and they are now fighting to stop the facilities from being built.

Another major concern is the substantial subsidies Gotion has received. Critics argue that these subsidies enable Chinese companies to poach employees from local businesses, further exacerbating the local economy. Senator J.D. Vance, a Republican vice presidential candidate, has traveled to Michigan to back residents trying to block the facility, stating that the US should stop paying Chinese manufacturers to manufacture in the country.

Furthermore, there is the issue of forced labor. The non-profit Concerned Citizens of Manteno is suing to stop the "gigafactory" in Illinois because of Gotion's ties to the Communist Party of China. The group claims that China's regime has found another way to infiltrate American society, and they are fighting to prevent it.

The Double-Edged Sword of China's Gotion: A Threat to Local Communities and Human Rights

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