Lawmakers seek crackdown on China-owned U.S. farmland
Summary
President Donald Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping amid growing concerns in the U.S. Congress about Chinese ownership of American farmland. Lawmakers introduced a bill aiming to stop foreign adversaries like China from buying farmland near U.S. military bases, citing national security risks.Key Facts
- President Trump visited Beijing to discuss trade, energy, Taiwan, and the Iran conflict.
- A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers proposed legislation to limit Chinese purchases of farmland near sensitive military and infrastructure sites.
- About 2% of U.S. farmland (over 40 million acres) is owned by foreign entities, with Chinese investments accounting for less than 1% of that.
- Key states with the largest Chinese-owned farmland include Texas, North Carolina, Missouri, Florida, and Virginia.
- Smithfield Foods, a large pork producer in the U.S., was bought by a Chinese company and owns tens of thousands of acres of farmland.
- President Trump signed a national security order last year restricting Chinese investments in sensitive sectors including agriculture.
- Some experts say Chinese farmland ownership is very small and argue that restrictions may interfere with American property rights.
- In 2023, lawmakers successfully blocked a Chinese company from building near a U.S. Air Force base in North Dakota due to security concerns.
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