Small Illinois Town of 9,000 Approves $2 Billion Chinese-Owned EV Battery Factory - despite protests from local residents who say the company is 'un-American'
A Small
Illinois town of just 9,000 people has approved the construction of a $2 billion Chinese-owned electric vehicle battery factory - despite protests from local residents who say the company is 'un-American.'
The village board in Manteno, Illinois, approved a zoning change that clears the way for constructing the Gotion Inc. manufacturing plant - but the decision has divided locals.
Gotion's plant is set to bring
$536 Million in state incentives, creating 2,600 local jobs and will push forward Governor J.B. Pritzker's desire to make Illinois an EV hub.
The company is a California-based subsidiary of Gotion High-Tech of China. It has been operating in the US for nearly a decade, and is 30 percent owned by Volkswagen.
The issue was voted 5-1 in favor on Monday, where dozens of locals came to protest in opposition of the project - holding signage reading 'go home Gotion.'
Many were fearful of Chinese influence that may seep into the town.
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China owns 383,935 acres of US farmland as of December 2021, with almost half of it in Texas
The village board in Manteno, Illinois, approved a zoning change that clears the way for the Gotion Inc. manufacturing plant to be constructed - but the decision has divided locals.
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