"Land for Sale, But No Chinese Buyers"… 'No China' Movement Spreads in the US

Bill Prohibiting Land Purchases by Chinese Individuals and Corporations

Fifteen U.S. states, including Texas and Florida, have passed legislation restricting land purchases in the United States by Chinese individuals and Chinese corporations. More than 20 other states are also pursuing similar legislation.

The American political media outlet The Politico reported on the 3rd (local time) that about two-thirds of U.S. states are pushing bills to ban Chinese individuals or entities from buying mainland U.S. land. These sanctions are driven by security concerns. It is reported that legislation is particularly active in areas where the Republican Party controls the state government.

Farmland for sale in Illinois, USA
[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

Last year alone, 15 states joined the sanctions, and this year more than 20 states are either in the process of legislating or considering it. As a result, about two-thirds of all U.S. states are expected to prohibit land purchases by China. The bills cover not only China but also all "countries of concern" designated by the U.S., including Russia, North Korea, Iran, Venezuela, and Cuba.

The controversy over Chinese land purchases in the U.S. mainland is not new. According to a report by The New York Times (NYT), in 2021, a businessman who was a former general in the Chinese People's Liberation Army bought 130,000 acres (526 km²) of land near a U.S. Air Force base in Texas, raising concerns. Last year, a Chinese company purchased 370 acres (about 1.5 km²) of land in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

The company explained that the land was purchased to build a corn milling plant, but the proximity of the land to the Air Force base became problematic. Some have claimed that the milling plant was actually a base for espionage activities.

Texas has already enacted legislation prohibiting foreign companies from owning land near critical facilities. However, as the controversy grew, Texas decided to include individuals as well as companies under the law's scope.

However, there are criticisms that these moves by state governments are an overreaction. According to 2021 U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics, foreign-owned farmland in the U.S. accounts for only 3.1%. By country, Canada (0.97%) and the Netherlands (0.37%) hold the largest shares, while China accounts for only 0.03%.