CADILLAC — Rep. John Moolenaar was recently named chairman of the House Select Committee on the relationship between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party.
The committee focuses on policy recommendations to protect the U.S. from what it says is increased aggression from China toward the U.S.
“There’s no freedom of speech. You know, they do not allow free elections that are legitimate,” said Moolenaar.
Moolenaar said his goal is to look after America’s interests.
“And we, in a bipartisan way on the committee, want to make sure that we’re doing our everything we can to help Americans,” he said.
The congressman plans to continue looking into the controversial Gotion battery plant being built in Mecosta County.
“I don’t have the authority to stop the Gotion project. What I can do, however, is to say that in Michigan and in the United States, we shouldn’t be increasing our dependence on the Chinese Communist Party and entities that are affiliated with the CCP,” said Moolenaar.
Gotion says any claims it has allegiance to the CCP are baseless.
Still, Moolenaar feels this kind of business deal poses a potential threat to the Untied States.
“They have (Xi) Jinping, who is now ruler for life, they oppress a billion Chinese people in their own country,” said Moolenaar.
“Economically as well as militarily and as we seek to really draw a sharp contrast between the values of America and the values of the Chinese Communist Party,” he added.
But Gotion isn’t the only national security issue Moolenaar wants to tackle.
Addressing security concerns around the social media app TikTok is high on the congressman’s agenda.
“We were getting calls from teenagers from around the state saying, don’t ban TikTok, don’t. And, you know, the reality was they were influenced by a CCP affiliated entity and, you know, without their parents knowing it, without them knowing it,” said Moolenaar.
And finally, Moolenaar expects several hearings on U.S. farmland and the U.S. military.
“We don’t want to have the CCP owning strategic farmland,” he said.
“You know, we are near Camp Grayling in Northern Michigan. That is an important military operation where we train leaders from around the world,” said the congressman.
Moolenaar replaces Congressman Mike Gallagher in the chairman role. Gallagher plans to leave Congress next month.
