The mayor of Grand Forks, North Dakota pledged Monday to work with the federal government to "shut down" the development of a Chinese-owned corn mill in his city after it was declared a national security risk by the U.S. Air Force.
Brandon Bochenski, who originally supported the proposal citing the prospect of new jobs and added tax revenue, reversed course last week after a letter was released from an Air Force official declaring the corn-mill project a security risk because of its proximity to the Grand Forks Air Force Base 12 miles away.
Bochenski told Fox News that the debate began nearly two years ago when he received an official RFP [request for proposal] from North Dakota's Department of Commerce. Grand Forks competed with 25 different cities for the project and ultimately won the bid. Bochenski initially supported the project, estimating it would bring in at least 200 jobs and millions in tax revenue. It wasn't until later in the process that he learned the company behind it was Chinese-owned, he said.
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"We go through a long process, 25 different cities are involved. Grand Forks ends up winning the project, finding out the company is Chinese and locally trying to sort that out," he said Monday on "The Story." "[We] Went to the FBI, North Dakota trade office, we went to the Air Force."
"It took a long time to get a firm answer," Bochenski continued. "When we did get that firm answer, we moved quickly and concisely, and we’re working to shut the project down."
The 300 acres of land, just 12 miles from Grand Forks Air Force Base which houses top secret drone technology, was purchased by the Chinese-owned Fufeng Group for $2.3 million. The company plans to invest $700 million to open the mill. Local officials and federal authorities have warned that Fufeng has deep ties to the ruling Chinese Communist Party.
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In his official statement last week, Bochenski said he is working with the federal government to shut down the project, citing the recent increase in "[geopolitical] tensions" for his reversal on the issue.
"It started with Russia invading Ukraine, them being allies. Taiwan. Now it’s the [surveillance] balloon. Farmland. We’ve seen an increase in tensions, and it’s been on the Chinese side." he said.
The issue is not exclusive to North Dakota. According to the USDA, Chinese owners control at least $2 billion worth of American farmland nationwide.
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Bochenski said that while the land purchase has already been completed, the city will refuse to connect industrial infrastructure and deny building permits to halt the development of the project.
"We have options to be able to step in from that to deny infrastructure and building permits. So they have the land," he said. "But they have no ability to build anything on it."
Fox News' Timothy H.J. Nerozzi and Alexis McAdams contributed to this report.
