The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has raised concerns about Gotion High Tech, a Chinese battery manufacturing firm, alleging that the company has ties to the CCP and employs over 900 CCP members. The committee stated, "Gotion High-Tech employs 923 CCP members... Gotion Inc. launched a joint venture company with a 'Communist Chinese Military Company Subsidiary' in 2016."
Last month, members of the House Select Committee wrote to Secretary Yellen expressing concerns about the effectiveness of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) process. They also criticized the Treasury Department for approving a new battery factory in Michigan, owned and operated by CCP-backed Gotion High-Tech Co. The facility, which received support from Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, was announced in October 2022. Gotion Inc. is a subsidiary of Gotion High-Tech, based in Hefei, China.
Gotion has recently reported the employment of 923 Chinese Communist Party members, including their CEO. Michigan Senator Lana Theis opposes the construction of the facility and has expressed concerns about the deal, emphasizing the presence of multiple threats, including "environmental endangerment, risks to public health and safety, as well as state and national sovereignty and security concerns", according to a press release from Theis' office.
“Gotion’s deep ties to the Chinese Communist Party has been a known problem since this project came to light,” said Theis, according to a press release from Theis' office. “The company clearly does not shy away from its CCP affiliations, yet those involved with the U.S.-based subsidiary, some members of the Legislature and the Whitmer administration continue to downplay its communist connections."
In July, Georgia Rep. Austin Scott introduced a series of amendments intended for inclusion in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). These amendments aim to prohibit the allocation of funds for battery technology linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), specifically from companies such as Contemporary Amperex Technology Company (CATL), Gotion High-Tech Company, Limited, EVE Energy Company, Limited, BYD Company, and others, according to a press release.
