Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
WASHINGTON – National security concerns are growing over Chinese food manufacturer Fufeng Group’s purchase of roughly 370 acres of land near the Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota. U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND), John Hoeven (R-ND), and Marco Rubio (R-FL) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and U.S. Treasury Department Secretary Janet Yellen requesting the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) review the purchase.
“This property is approximately 12 miles from Grand Forks Air Force Base, which has led to concern that Fufeng operations could provide cover for PRC surveillance or interference with the missions located at that installation, given Fufeng Group’s reported ties to the Chinese Communist Party,” wrote the senators.
“We note that local officials are seeking input from federal authorities about any national security implications of this project. Local officials have discussed the matter with the U.S. Air Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. According to published reports, they also have encouraged Fufeng to make a voluntary CFIUS filing,” continued the senators. “People’s Republic of China investments in the United States demand scrutiny. We therefore urge you, through CFIUS, to determine whether this project has national security implications and inform us when such a review is completed.”
Senator Cramer has long been opposed to the project and has advocated for a “strategic decoupling” from China.
Click here for full text of the letter.