Chinese Farmland Purchases Dangerously Close to US Military Base

(OurNationNews.com) A suspiciously dangerous trend has been discovered recently, one where Chinese companies have been buying land close to U.S. military installations around the country.

In response, the Biden administration set down a new rule requiring that foreign entities seek permission from the U.S. government first before purchasing any land or property that is within 100 miles of a U.S. military base.

Several China-based firms have reportedly been purchasing land close to 19 U.S. military bases around the country, including Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in San Diego, California; Fort Liberty (formerly Fort Bragg) in Fayetteville, North Carolina; MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida; and Fort Cavazos (formerly Fort Hood) in Kileen, Texas.

The government’s new prohibition on foreign-owned land close to military bases will effectively increase the authority of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. The committee already conducts reviews of deals between U.S.-based companies and foreign firms in terms of how these agreements could potentially affect U.S. national security.

The new rule will be implemented through the Office of Investment Security of the U.S. Department of Treasury.

National security and military experts have pointed out that these properties, which were purchased for a variety of (stated) purposes, could easily be used as hubs for espionage activities, given their strategic location close to U.S. military installations. Foreign actors could conduct a number of activities from these areas, such as establishing reconnaissance posts, track military activity using radar and infrared technology, or even as a deployment site for drones that could monitor activities at the base and gather other intelligence.

In May this year, MineOne, a Chinese cryptocurrency firm, was forced to divest land it had bought in Wyoming over security concerns. The company reportedly purchased the property in 2022, but it also happened to be within a mile from the base, which in turn houses part of the U.S.’ nuclear arsenal.