Air Force shoots down China’s plan to build corn mill less than 15 miles from North Dakota base

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Job bonus or national security risk? The Air Force shoots down China’s plan to build a giant corn mill less than 15 miles from its base in North Dakota, as the communism-linked company seeks to increase its 200,000 acres of US farmland for a value of $1.9 billion

  • The Air Force sent a letter to the two North Dakota senators condemning the establishment of a giant Chinese-owned corn mill next to a US airbase.
  • Despite the money that establishing the plant would pump into the relatively small town, the Air Force says it is a national security risk.
  • The town’s mayor, who once celebrated the development project, has now turned against it, saying he will work to prevent it from being built.

After about a year of debate over whether or not to build a corn mill in North Dakota, the US Air Force weighed in to say the project “presents a significant threat to national security.”

In a letter, Air Force Under Secretary Andrew Hunter wrote that the proposed corn mill posed “near-term and long-term risks of significant impacts to our operations in the area.”

The subject of the letter is Fufeng USA’s plan to build a giant grinding facility on the Grand Forks, North Dakota border, about 12 miles from the Air Force Base.

Grand Forks, North Dakota Air Force Base where a Chinese-owned company is attempting to build a giant corn mill 12 miles away

Letter from the US Air Force condemning the construction of the plant due to ongoing national security concerns

Letter from the US Air Force condemning the construction of the plant due to ongoing national security concerns

At the beginning of the debate over the factory, some residents opposed establishing closer economic ties with China, others argued that it could easily be used as a spy facility for the hostile Chinese government.

The mayor of the city of about 60,000, Brandon Bochenski, who previously supported the project, said Tuesday he would block construction by trying to deny a series of building permits.

The two Republican senators from North Dakota, Kevin Cramer and John Hoeven, released the letter written by Hunter, as well as their own supporting documents. declaration condemning the project.

“The Air Force left the ambiguity off the table when it said: ‘The proposed project presents a significant threat to national security with near- and long-term risks of significant impacts to our operations in the area,’ the senators said.

“As we have recommended, we believe the city should discontinue the Fufeng project and instead we should work together to find an American company to develop the agricultural project.”

Andrew P. Hunter, the deputy secretary of the Air Force who wrote the letter condemning the Chinese-owned corn mill due to national security concerns.

Andrew P. Hunter, the deputy secretary of the Air Force who wrote the letter condemning the Chinese-owned corn mill due to national security concerns.

Senator Kevin Cramer

Senator John Hoeven

Both North Dakota senators supported the Air Force position and condemned the construction of the Chinese-owned corn mill.

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Bochenski, a first-term mayor and a former professional hockey player, had been hesitant to fight the tides of globalism when the opportunity to build the mill first presented itself, a job boon for the area.

But in the wake of the Air Force letter, Bochenski changes his tune, saying earlier this week that he would help fight the project. However, whatever action he takes, Fufeng USA, the American subsidiary of a Chinese company, will still own the land.

In recent months, construction and work on the land development project had stalled as the US Foreign Investment Committee reviewed the Chinese company’s plans.

Ultimately, CFIUS determined that it had no jurisdiction over the land, further confusing local officials dealing with the project.

“The federal government’s response during this process can only be seen as slow and contradictory,” Bochenski said.

“This directive leaves open the question of other entities with Chinese connections throughout the country,” he said, adding that a Chinese-owned aviation company in Grand Forks, as well as “Chinese students and professors at the University of North Dakota.” now they can be subject to questioning.

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