National Security Concerns Mount as Chinese Company Builds Major Plant Near North Dakota Military Base

Sen. Kevin Cramer seeking answers why company chose location near base that houses sensitive drone, satellite, and surveillance technology

Airmen assigned to the 319th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron from Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota, perform a maintenance check on a drone on June 6, 2022. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Ashley Richards

A China-based agribusiness with links to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is moving ahead with plans to build a corn mill in Grand Forks, North Dakota, despite local concerns that the project could pose national security risks.

Fufeng Group—the second largest xanthan gum producer in China—recently purchased 370 acres located north of Grand Forks after the City Council voted to annex the property. The city then changed the parcel’s designation to an industrial zone from agricultural to allow the project to move forward under federal law.