China‘s purchase of farmland near key US military bases has raised serious national security concerns.
Investigations show that Chinese-owned land is strategically located near 19 military installations from Florida to Hawaii, prompting fears of potential espionage.
Key bases near these Chinese-owned farmlands include Fort Liberty in North Carolina, Fort Cavazos in Texas, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in California, and MacDill Air Force Base in Florida.
Robert S. Spalding III, a retired brigadier general, told the New York Post: “It is concerning due to the proximity to strategic locations.
It is alarming we do not have laws on the books that would prevent the Chinese from buying property in the US.”
Sources told the US daily that these farmlands could be used for reconnaissance, surveillance, and deploying drones to monitor military operations.
Reports have documented over 100 attempted breaches by Chinese nationals into US military facilities, further intensifying these fears.
Chinese investments in US farmland include notable figures like billionaire Sun Guangxin, who owns land near Laughlin Air Force Base in Texas. Despite no direct evidence of spying, figures like Senator Ted Cruz have raised alarms about the strategic risks.
The proximity of these lands to military sites has led to increased scrutiny and legislative action.
A Chinese-backed firm was recently barred from owning land in Wyoming due to security risks.
The US Defence Department, FBI, and other agencies have heightened investigations into potential espionage activities. Incidents of Chinese nationals attempting to breach US military sites and the rising number of Chinese nationals apprehended at the US-Mexico border underscore the ongoing security challenges.
Robert S. Spalding III said: “They are a communist dictatorship no different from the [Soviet Union], except they have been integrated into the global economic system. This makes them even more dangerous than the USSR because of their political influence.”