Kankakee Times

The Illinois Freedom Caucus legislators will be joined by Manteno local residents and other supporters at a press conference at the Hassett Center in Manteno on Monday, Oct. 2.

The event will be held at 5 p.m., just ahead of the 6 p.m. Manteno Village Board meeting.

The press conference is being held under the banner “Illinois Freedom Caucus: No Go on Caucus Gotion!“, in opposition to a heavily subsidized Chinese-owned battery manufacturer being planned for Manteno.

Manteno residents have voiced concerns about various local matters related to the proposed plant, including zoning regulations, property taxes, and healthcare access.

Illinois politicians and members of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party have been raising concerns about the generous subsidies proposed for Chinese electric vehicle battery maker Gotion, which plans to build the $2 billion plant in Manteno, while potentially receiving $7.5 billion in federal tax credits, Kankakee Times previously reported.

Opponents have noted the situation highlights worries about U.S. economic and national security and calls for legislative changes regarding the 45X tax credit program, as critics argue that subsidizing a Chinese company with ties to the CCP poses a direct threat to American interests.

The deal, recently announced by the Office of the Illinois Governor, is being met with controversy at a time when the FBI has publicly warned about China’s efforts to steal American technology, including AI research and incidents involving Chinese nationals accessing sensitive U.S. military bases, raising espionage concerns amid escalating tensions between the U.S. and China.

“Why are we funding our enemies??? JB Pritzker is doing everything to allow the Chinese Communist Party to strengthen its grip on Illinois, and the United States,” the Illinois Freedom Caucus said on Facebook of the deal.

Emails released earlier this year showed ties between a Chinese Communist Party official and the Pritzker administration, according to Prairie State Wire.

Letters sent to Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker from a high-ranking Chinese Communist Party leader, Du Jiahao, in March 2020, raised questions about the extent of such communication between U.S. governors and Chinese officials.