UK Daily Telegraph: The US bans Chinese purchase of farmland in the name of "national security" and may forcibly reclaim land already purchased
UK Daily Telegraph, July 8th report, the US Department of Agriculture announced that it will ban "adversary countries" such as China, Russia, and Iran from purchasing US farmland, and plans to forcibly reclaim already purchased land, claiming this move is to protect US food security and national security. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Lierman, accompanied by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, stated: "US agriculture is not only about people's livelihood, but also about resisting foreign adversaries' actions of purchasing farmland and stealing research to threaten the national system." Data shows that Chinese investors currently hold about 280,000 acres of US farmland, accounting for 0.03% of the total agricultural land in the entire country, with nearly half belonging to Smithfield Foods, a subsidiary of China's WH Group. This meat giant has repeatedly faced scrutiny from US legislators due to its Chinese background. Its CEO and executives from pesticide company Syngenta have both argued that overseas investment creates local jobs. Defense Secretary Hegseth specifically emphasized that farmland transactions near military bases pose a significant risk, and cited the example of Fufeng Group's 2022 purchase of land within 12 miles of an Air Force base in North Dakota where the factory was eventually blocked, pointing out that current foreign investment reviews have loopholes. The US government said the new regulations will ensure "military supply during wartime," and state legislators have long warned that China might "use farmland for espionage or threaten food security," but have not provided substantial evidence.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1837121790106624/
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