Republican Senators Propose Bill to Ban Chinese Land Purchases in the U.S.

On January 23, 2025, Republican senators Tom Cotton, Katie Britt, and Kevin Cramer introduced the Not One More Inch or Acre Act, which aims to ban Chinese citizens from purchasing land in the United States. This legislative move comes amid growing national security concerns regarding China's ownership of U.S. land, which stood at 277,336 acres by the end of 2023, representing less than 1% of all foreign-held agricultural land in the country. Senator Cotton emphasized that these land purchases could facilitate espionage, particularly near military installations [45966358].

The bill's introduction follows a broader context of scrutiny over foreign ownership of U.S. farmland, particularly by Chinese entities. South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem previously testified before the U.S. House Agriculture Committee, voicing concerns about China's increasing influence in American agriculture and the potential risks it poses to national security. She noted that while there are no Chinese-owned lands in South Dakota, the overall trend of foreign ownership, especially by China, is alarming [3604ac77] [8c1e637d].

Chinese billionaire Chen Tianqiao, founder of Shanda Group, is among the largest foreign landowners in the U.S., holding approximately 200,000 acres in Oregon. His ownership has raised alarms among GOP governors, who view it as a national security threat due to his ties to the Chinese Communist Party [33a756f4] [e31ce0bc].

Senator Jon Tester, a Democrat from Montana, has also called for stronger measures to prevent foreign adversaries from acquiring U.S. farmland, highlighting the need for legislative action to protect national interests [49131f52].

A recent report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) revealed that over 40 million acres of U.S. farmland are owned by foreign investors, with some linked to strategic rivals like China and Iran. This report indicated a 40% increase in foreign land ownership since 2016, raising alarms about the implications for U.S. food security and national defense [56b94006].

In response to these concerns, Congress has been considering various measures to enhance oversight of foreign land purchases. The Agriculture Appropriations bill signed into law includes provisions to add the Secretary of Agriculture to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), allowing for more rigorous reviews of transactions that may pose national security risks [8c1e637d].

Furthermore, the Norwegian government recently blocked the sale of the last privately owned land on the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard to prevent potential acquisition by foreign entities, particularly China. This move reflects a growing trend among nations to safeguard their land from foreign ownership amid rising geopolitical tensions [b53ffa91].