More than 50 Congressmembers question Chinese-based manufacturer acquisition of U.S. land

A group of lawmakers recently expressed concerns regarding a Chinese-based manufacturer with ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) acquiring farmland near a domestic military installation.

U.S. Rep. Carlos A. Gimenez (R-FL) recently joined 50 colleagues in sending a letter to Defense Secretary Austin Lloyd, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack regarding the matter.

“The recent acquisition of property north of Grand Forks, North Dakota, by the Fufeng Group, a Chinese-based manufacturer with close links to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), is an alarming development for our national security,” the legislators wrote. “According to the United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission, the Grand Forks Air Force Base has exceptional intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities, making the recently purchased land the ideal location to closely monitor and intercept military activity. The presence of a CCP-affiliated corporation near a military installation potentially undermines the integrity of our high-capability military bases, jeopardizing our strategic interests.”

The lawmakers noted the land purchase would provide potential advantageous opportunities to perpetrate espionage that
include actions and activities carried out under commercial cover or auspices.

“We are concerned about the precedent this land purchase will set and its ability to serve as the model for our adversaries to encroach on American security, particularly through purchases of farmland in our congressional districts housing several military installations, such as —Homestead Air Reserve Base (HARB),” the legislators concluded. “HARB currently houses Special Operations Command South in South Florida and is home to the 482nd Fighter Wing with combat-ready capabilities, supporting operations for the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Maritime Safety and Security Team, and the air and maritime branch under U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).”

The letter has been endorsed by the conservative advocacy organization Heritage Action.