Attorney General investigating Fort Smith company for potential China connections

An investigation is underway on 4811 S. Zero Street LLC, in Fort Smith, a company state officials suspect has connections to Chinese foreign nationals who may want to be near the foreign military pilot training center at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in the city.

Arkansas Agriculture Secretary Wes Ward sent a letter dated July 23 to Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin asking him to investigate the company which was created June 14, with the incorporator being Pei-Te Lin. The company’s agent address is 300 S. Spring St., in Little Rock.

The building at 4811 S. Zero St., is the former Trane manufacturing plant that closed in 2017 and was recently sold in an auction. The building and property sold for $5 million, according to Sebastian County Assessor Zach Johnson.

The 378,700-square-foot building – which is near the Fort Smith Regional Airport – once had more than 500 workers producing residential heating, ventilation and air conditioning products. Around 250 were employed at the plant when it closed.

“Communist China is America’s greatest adversary. I won’t let them buy up land close to our military installations and spy on our nation’s defense assets. I kicked out a CCP state-owned company once and will do it again to protect Arkansas’ Ebbing Air National Guard Base,” Gov. Sarah Sanders noted on social media.

Ebbing, home to the 188th Wing in Fort Smith and co-located with the Fort Smith Regional Airport, was selected in March 2023 by the U.S. Air Force to be the long-term pilot training center supporting F-16 and F-35 fighter planes purchased by Singapore, Switzerland, Poland, Germany, Finland and other countries participating in the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.

Initial estimates are that 1,500 military personnel and family members will be associated with the new center once it is fully operational. The Air Force recently reactivated two military units to manage the pilot training center.

The Arkansas Legislature in 2023 passed Act 636 to prohibit a “foreign-controlled business” from acquiring property in the state. In the letter, Ward asked Griffin to “commence appropriate legal action” if he determines the company is controlled by Chinese-based interests.

Griffin on Wednesday (July 24) noted in a social media post that his office is investigating “a group that may include foreign nationals from the People’s Republic of China (PRC).” AG Spokesman Jeff LeMaster said the office could not comment further, including offering any potential timeline, because it is an “ongoing investigation.”

Tim Allen, Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce president and CEO, who has been active in the effort to get the training center to the city, said he has concerns about what he is hearing but is confident state officials will best handle the investigation.

“We’re gonna let the Attorney General’s office and the Governor’s office do what they do best. This is entirely in their hands,” he said.