Today, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) joined 50 of his Republican colleagues in sending a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack over serious concerns that groups with close ties to the Chinese Communist Party are purchasing land near American military installations.
“Traveling across the 4th District on my 39 County Tour, I have heard from countless Iowans who are concerned about the Chinese Communist Party’s mission to buy up American land,” said Rep. Feenstra. “As the strongest nation in the world, we cannot allow groups with close ties to the CCP to purchase American land near our military bases, which is a direct threat to our national security. I will continue to work with my colleagues to hold the CCP accountable and stand up for Iowa farmers and our troops.”
In their letter, the lawmakers wrote, “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. 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.”
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, foreign investors held a stake in approximately 37.6 million acres of American agricultural land at the beginning of 2021.
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