10.02.2023
The number of U.S. farmland owned by entities and individuals from China has increased dramatically in recent years, causing American farmers to worry about their own safety and political circles about food safety and national security. Senators in the U.S. Congress recently proposed a bill to prohibit entities and individuals from China and other countries from purchasing land in the U.S. out of national security considerations. Many states are also considering enacting relevant laws.
(Voice of Deutsche Welle Chinese Network) The Democratic Senator Jon Tester (Jon Tester) and the Republican Senator Mike Rounds (Mike Rounds) recently jointly proposed the “Promoting Agricultural Security and Safety Act of 2023”. Requires agricultural security to be included in national security decisions on whether to allow foreigners to invest in real estate, and blacklists China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea from investing, buying, or otherwise acquiring U.S. land or businesses involving U.S. agriculture. “The bottom line is, let’s not let the Chinese own our farmland. It’s a threat to our food security, it’s a threat to our national security,” Tester told the Associated Press.
At least 11 U.S. state legislatures are currently considering laws to address the issue, including Montana, Wyoming, New Jersey and North Dakota. Grand Forks, North Dakota Mayor Brandon Bochenski called a halt to a planned Chinese-funded corn processing plant on January 31. In addition to opposition from local residents, the U.S. Air Force also warned that the Chinese-funded corn factory project, which was proposed to be built by Chinaās Fufeng Group with a $700 million investment, is only 19 kilometers away from the U.S. Air Force Base in Grand Forks. There is a “significant national security risk”. In recent days, members of the Grand Forks City Council voted 5-0 to abandon the plan.
Chinese ownership of U.S. farmland soars in 10 years
Restrictions on farmland ownership by foreign individuals or entities vary widely across the United States. Most states have no restrictions on foreign individuals or entities owning farmland, 14 states have some restrictions, and none have outright bans.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, less than 3% of U.S. farmland is owned by foreign entities and individuals, and less than 1% is owned by entities and individuals related to China, equivalent to about 340 square kilometers. Entities with ties to China own the most farmland in the five states. Four of those states — North Carolina, Virginia, Texas and Utah — do not restrict foreign ownership. A fifth state, Missouri, has caps on foreign ownership of land.
Jeremy Hunt, a media researcher at the Hudson Institute, a Washington think tank, said not long ago that Chinese ownership of U.S. farmland property rights jumped from $81 million in 2010 to $1.8 billion in 2020.
Acquisitions of farm and nonfarm land in the United States by foreign investors have drawn increased attention and scrutiny
National Security Concerns Grow
Acquisitions of agricultural and non-agricultural land in the United States by foreign investors have drawn increased attention and scrutiny in recent years, especially in states with significant U.S. military presence. Proponents of restrictions on ownership question the motivations of foreign buyers, asking to consider factors such as whether entities or individuals with ties to rival states such as China could use the land for espionage or control over the U.S. food supply.
In July 2021, the “Lone Star Infrastructure Protection Act” passed by the Texas Legislature will come into effect, which includes provisions for investment from companies from China, Russia, North Korea and Iran, prohibiting companies from the above countries from investing in Texas such as power grids, water supply systems and infrastructure such as network security. Prior to this, Sun Guangxin, a veteran and the richest man in Xinjiang, has successively purchased 140,000 hectares of land near the Texas Air Force Base in the United States to build wind farms since 2016, triggering local protests and alerts to national security issues. This year, Texas Republicans want to expand that ban to bar individuals and entities from hostile countries, including China, from buying land.
China’s foreign ministry responds
According to Chinese official media reports, on February 10, an Agence France-Presse reporter asked at a regular press conference of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “A number of states in the United States, including Texas and Florida, are considering banning Chinese citizens from purchasing local products.” Real estate is mainly due to national security concerns. What is China’s comment on this?” Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning replied, “The essence of Sino-US economic and trade cooperation is mutual benefit and win-win. Generalizing the concept of national security and politicizing economic, trade and investment issues His words and deeds violate the principles of market economy and international economic and trade rules, and damage the confidence of the outside world in the US market environment.”
(Associated Press, etc.)
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