Chairman John Moolenaar of the House Select Committee on China has sent a letter to Battle Creek Mayor Mark Behnke, cautioning him about Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL). This Chinese military company is collaborating with Ford on a project in Michigan. The warning came after Behnke urged Michigan’s congressional delegation to support taxpayer funding for the Ford/CATL partnership.
Moolenaar expressed concerns over CATL’s ties to the Chinese military and its involvement in developing battery technology for weapons systems, ships, aircraft, and vehicles. He stated: “If Battle Creek, Marshall, Calhoun County, and the Ford Motor Company proceed with partnering with CATL, they risk supporting a company linked to the erosion of American manufacturing.”
He further warned that servicemembers at Fort Custer could face adversaries equipped with CATL technology. Additionally, he highlighted that veterans might need treatment for injuries caused by such technology.
Moolenaar criticized Behnke’s advocacy for collaboration with a Chinese military company: “In your letter, you wrote that our nation’s auto industry faces significant challenges from CCP companies backed by the Chinese government. CATL is exactly that kind of company.”
In an earlier communication dated April 17, Behnke praised CATL’s pioneering battery technology and emphasized its importance as a critical pipeline for emerging technologies.
Previously in August 2024, Moolenaar and former Senator Marco Rubio requested the Biden administration to add CATL to the Defense Department’s list of known Chinese military companies. This was accomplished in January 2025.
Concerns over CATL’s operations have been raised due to evidence linking it to forced labor practices and sourcing materials from organizations sanctioned by the United States. Consequently, U.S. lawmakers prohibited the Department of Defense from purchasing batteries from CATL starting January 2024.
