Chinese firm: Obama, U.S. discriminating against us
BEIJING The Chinese company suing President Obama for blocking its planned wind farm projects in Oregon accused the U.S. leader and his government of discrimination Thursday and warned that the case would deter Chinese investment in the United States.
Last month, Mr. Obama blocked Ralls Corp.'s plan to build four wind farms near a U.S. Navy base, after the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States concluded it posed security risks. It was the first time a president stepped in to block such a foreign business deal since 1990, when President George H.W. Bush scuttled the sale of a manufacturer to a Chinese agency.
Company bosses denied that the project posed security risks and said the U.S. was discriminating against the firm because it was Chinese. They filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government last month, and added Mr. Obama's name as a defendant earlier this month.
Ralls Corp. CEO Wu Jialiang told a news conference Thursday that his company "would never do anything that threatens U.S. national security."
Ralls Corp, is an associated enterprise of Sany Group, the largest construction machinery manufacturer in China.
Sany alleges that the U.S. investment committee and Mr. Obama have exceeded their authority and deprived Sany of its private property rights without legal procedures. It also says U.S. officials provided no evidence to show the project threatened American national security and that they emphasized the Chinese character of Sany Group and its Ralls Corp.'s shareholders, violating "the equal rights protected by the Constitution."
"Although a relatively small case, it connects to the fundamental faith of Chinese investors who are looking forward to investing in the U.S. as well as millions of entrepreneurs all over the world," said Wu. "I firmly believe to mishandle this delicate matter will cause the U.S. thousands of lost job opportunities."
"At the same time, we have full faith in winning this lawsuit," he added.
U.S. government officials have said the lawsuit has no merit, and that they would "vigorously" dispute the case.