Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) questioned Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley at a Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) hearing about the threat of China-owned companies purchasing land near U.S. military facilities. The City of Grand Forks became a flashpoint on this issue when the Fufeng Group, a Chinese manufacturing company, moved to construct a wet-corn milling plant 12 miles from Grand Forks Air Force Base. He also discussed offering Ukraine surplus MQ-9s to assist in its fight against Russian aggression. Excerpts and full video are below.
“Could you talk to us about – either in the context of Fufeng and Grand Forks or the broader context – are we giving adequate cover, information, and coaching to other communities around the country [regarding Chinese land purchases in the United States]?” asked Senator Cramer. “Because it’s my understanding this is not necessarily a unique circumstance to Grand Forks.”
“First of all, Senator, let me thank you for your personal leadership on this issue,” responded Secretary Austin. “To the point you’re making, this applies to installations all around the United States of America. We will continue to emphasize to service chiefs, commanders, secretaries that we have to be vigilant about what’s going on outside of our fences. We’ve got to work with the communities to make sure we do have some kind of situational awareness, and we have to advocate for the protection of our bases and installations. And again, every one of these cases will be complex, but they are cases we must take on.”
Senator Cramer echoed the Secretary’s point about the importance of considering foreign agricultural investments from a national security position, saying, “I think you’re right. I think we need to ‘take them on’ rather than punt them to the CFIUS process or some other political process, particularly when it comes to the Chinese Communist Party and their involvement, and their ability – not just ability, but obvious willingness – to do recon in all sorts of matters and ways.”
Finally, in light recent events like the take-down of an MQ-9 over the Black Sea and reports the Air Force could retire old models of the aircraft, he raised potentially providing surplus advanced weapons systems to Ukraine.
“Is there any chance the MQ-9 would be a reasonable system to offer Ukraine?” asked Senator Cramer.
“In terms of its capabilities, I’m not sure what it will get you beyond the smaller, faster, more nimble UAV systems we are providing, as well as some other countries are providing,” responded General Milley. “So, I think it’s a good system for certain uses in certain environments, but in the current situation, Ukraine may not be the best system.”