The Red Scare continues in the American state of Virginia. In response to a new battery plant from vehicle manufacturer Ford, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has blocked the new factory’s plans, turning away 2,500 new jobs. The reason? Communism.
Youngkin blocked the factory’s development in the state of Virginia due to its ties to China. Ford's new battery plant is partnering with CATL, a Chinese battery manufacturer that is also the largest creator of electric vehicle batteries in the world. CATL creates lithium-ion batteries for BMW, Honda, Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen and many more.
Over the past 15 years, Ford has heavily invested in its Virginian plans. The vehicle company has spent close to $200 million on its proposed factory plant in Berry Hill. However, Youngkin’s rejection of the new battery plant has turned those plans to ash.
In a statement to Detroit News, it was confirmed that the Virginia governor blocked the plans due to fears of Chinese communism. Youngkin’s spokesperson Macaulay Porter told the outlet that the state will not be giving the Chinese Communist Party a “leg up” by allowing the plant to be built.
“While Ford is an iconic American company, it became clear that this proposal would serve as a front for the Chinese Communist party, which could compromise our economic security and Virginians’ personal privacy,” Porter said.
Porter tried to spin the wild decision to block thousands of new jobs into a positive for the state’s civilians. The spokesperson said: “Virginians can be confident that companies with known ties to the Chinese Communist Party won’t receive a leg up from the Commonwealth’s economic incentive packages. When the potentially damaging effects of the deal were realized, the plant proposal never reached a final discussion stage.”
Prior to the announcement that Virginia’s Ford plant would not be happening, Youngkin announced that the state is set to hit recession. Youngkin announced that the state is set to lose over 25,000 jobs across 2023. However, the governor still blocked the building of a plant designed to offer 2,500 jobs to local citizens.