‘They Could Literally Starve Us’: Republicans Push To Ban China From Purchasing US Farmland

As lawmakers prepare to retaliate against Beijing for spy balloon Chinese president Xi Jinping inspects a farm in China / English.scio.gov.cn

As lawmakers seek to counter China’s spy-balloon invasion, House Republicans are pressing to ban any American business or individual from buying agricultural land.

Last week, Reps. Dan Newhouse and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R. Washington) proposed legislation. Legislation That would prohibit any purchase by the United States of America or its territories of public or privately owned agricultural real property. “nonresident aliens, foreign businesses, or any agent, trustee, or fiduciary associated with the Government of the People’s Republic of China.”

This legislation, also known as the Prohibition of Agriculture Land for the People’s Republic of China Act would prohibit these entities from participating in Department of Agriculture programs.

Since 2010, Fox Business has seen a 20-fold increase in the ownership of U.S. farmland owned by CCP-connected companies and individuals. reportedAt least 383,000 acres are worth billions of US dollars. Newhouse warned that China’s investments in other countries’ food supplies have enabled Beijing to exert control over those countries—a strategy China is likely pursuing in the United States.

“Imagine if the Chinese Communist Party had just one of the links of our food supply chain under their control, how quickly they could literally starve us,” Newhouse said the Washington Free Beacon. “In other countries they make investments, build infrastructure, control sources of agricultural products. … We don’t want to see that happen in the United States of America.”

This legislation was passed by the House after members unanimously adopted a resolution on Thursday condemning China’s deployment of a spy satellite over America. “brazen violation of United States sovereignty.” Legislators in North Dakota and Montana have been prompted to examine the high-profile case of Chinese interference. Resolutions to ban foreign entities purchasing land. Washington, D.C., the alarm over the spy ballon could help push the land purchase legislation, which Newhouse proposed first in May, but died in Congress, to Washington.

The Senate is looking into a Similar Sens. Mike Rounds (R.S.D. Jon Tester, D., Mont.), that would ban China, Russia, North Korea,