Over the past few years, Chinese companies and investors buy land It has acquired major food companies in the United States, such as Smithfield Foods, the largest pork processor in the country. That’s a big problem for American lawmakers: China is the United States’ largest trading partner, but it’s also strategic enemy number one.

And although Chinese property represents only a small fraction of U.S. foreign-owned territory, the government fears that China could expand its control and gain access to vital information.

land control. China’s foreign investment in U.S. farmland has increased 10-fold in the past decade, according to the Department of Agriculture. Chinese-owned entities More than 1,500 square kilometers of agricultural land It will have an estimated value of around $2 billion by the end of 2021. They belong to 85 Chinese investors, who can be individuals, companies or governments.

Yet China’s territory represents a tiny share of foreign territory: Ranked 18th in the list of international investorsBut its geopolitical weight and strategic goals, which are quite different from the West’s plans, have raised questions about who is behind these lands.

Whose are they? Most are owned by corporations. But Congress is more concerned that it is part of a plan by the Chinese Communist Party to expand its control. “I don’t know that we know for sure all the foreign lands that are potentially owned by Chinese individuals or individuals controlled by the Chinese government,” he said. Senator Jon Tester draws attention in CongressDemocrat.

It should be noted that all these Chinese properties are very concentrated. As explained this NPR reportMore than 80 percent in hand Smithfield Foods and a billionaire named Sun Guangxin, through Brazos Highland Properties and Harvest Texas. Sun used those companies to buy more than 160 square miles of land in Texas for a proposed wind farm, but the project was not green-lighted because of a state law that bars foreigners from accessing the Texas power grid.

Near military bases. Much of the criticism emerged after another Chinese company, Fufeng Group, was also blocked in January this year. Air Force to build wind turbine on land near base North Dakota. A fact that authorities have described as a “security risk.” After all the chaos Chinese spy bubble shot down in FebruaryConcerns have quickly grown that Beijing is trying to spy on U.S. soil or disrupt military communications.

Especially when many of these properties are close to Defense facilities. “What’s missing here is a lot more information about where these specific locations or farmland purchases are located near military bases.” Craig Singleton highlightedMember of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

They want to avoid this. That’s why many lawmakers (on both sides) want to limit purchases from Chinese companies, especially those with government ties. And to that end, There are already several bills in Congress The aim is to increase the authority of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to review foreign investment agreements from a food safety perspective, as well as strengthen verification and reporting systems.

On the other hand, the Biden administration tightening policies about who can buy land near military bases. The problem is that these measures could lead to a backlash against Asian Americans and broader Chinese xenophobia which is already happening in some states.

Amid trade and geopolitical tensions. Moreover, this trend emerges at a time in history when tensions are high between the two countries. on commercial and geopolitical issues They are not stopping. It also comes at a time when the Communist Party is strengthening foreign investment in agriculture as part of its “One Belt, One Road” economic development plans, with the aim of controlling a larger share of the food supply chain. It is also in other sectors like mining And port infrastructure control In regions of Latin America.

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*A previous version of this article was published in July 2023.