A Chinese company by the name of Fufeng recently invested in a northern patch of land in the town of Grand Forks, North Dakota that’s surrounded by a potato processor, a pasta-making facility, and a state-owned flour mill where farmers sell their homegrown wheat. Fufeng’s American subsidiary, which makes animal feed components, wanted to use the land to build a corn mill. The Chinese company’s American subsidiary that makes animal feed components wanted to use the land to build a corn mill.
The city officials were delighted to have that land filled as it would bring more than 1,000 construction jobs and more than 200 permanent jobs. The Governor, Republican Doug Burgum, said it would be a “huge opportunity” for all of North Dakota. However, the town citizens were more suspicious.
Even though America’s most important trade partner is China, American citizens have had increasingly worse outlooks on the nation. Both American parties see China as dangerous. The pandemic only poured gasoline on the fire with the increase of Asian hate crimes and vandalism of Chinese-owned restaurants and shops.
This building resentment towards China manifested in Grand Forks’ reaction to Fufeng. Anti-Fufeng signs, including hammer-and-sickle flags, popped up in yards As time went on, more and more people started angrily discussing how the company was trying to spread communism or surveil the community. This entire situation revealed just how bad America’s relationship with China has gotten over the years.
Despite this sentiment, America cannot stop its relationship with China since Americans buy more goods from China than from any other country. China is a top destination for U.S. exports, and many Chinese firms have operations in the United States.
“I think what you’ve seen, at least recently, is a large push away from globalization,” said Mayor Brandon Bochenski, a Republican who supports the new mill and said that it would be Grand Forks’s most significant economic development effort. He added, “Are we going to be the first to basically say no to globalism?”
The city officials were delighted to have that land filled as it would bring more than 1,000 construction jobs and more than 200 permanent jobs. The Governor, Republican Doug Burgum, said it would be a “huge opportunity” for all of North Dakota. However, the town citizens were more suspicious.
Even though America’s most important trade partner is China, American citizens have had increasingly worse outlooks on the nation. Both American parties see China as dangerous. The pandemic only poured gasoline on the fire with the increase of Asian hate crimes and vandalism of Chinese-owned restaurants and shops.
This building resentment towards China manifested in Grand Forks’ reaction to Fufeng. Anti-Fufeng signs, including hammer-and-sickle flags, popped up in yards As time went on, more and more people started angrily discussing how the company was trying to spread communism or surveil the community. This entire situation revealed just how bad America’s relationship with China has gotten over the years.
Despite this sentiment, America cannot stop its relationship with China since Americans buy more goods from China than from any other country. China is a top destination for U.S. exports, and many Chinese firms have operations in the United States.
“I think what you’ve seen, at least recently, is a large push away from globalization,” said Mayor Brandon Bochenski, a Republican who supports the new mill and said that it would be Grand Forks’s most significant economic development effort. He added, “Are we going to be the first to basically say no to globalism?”
