Photo: Alamy
President Donald Trump said Monday that he will block Chinese nationals from buying American farmland if he wins the presidential election in November.
Trump shared the remarks during a visit to western Pennsylvania on Monday to share remarks during an event by the Protecting America Initiative.
“We’re going to protect it by saying you can’t do it,” Trump told attendees at the event.
“It’s very easy to do, it’s a very easy thing to do. But it’s causing a lot of disruption and that’s what they want to do.
“I love the farmers,” Trump added. “I’m very comfortable with the farmers. I feel I know your business, but I haven’t plowed quite as much as you.”
Trump also said that he would call on Chinese President Xi Jinping to commit to buying $50 billion in farm products from the U.S.
A report by News Nation revealed that Texas tops the list of states for Chinese-owned land. The top 10 states include:
- Texas – 191,919 acres
- North Carolina – 49,050 acres
- Missouri – 43,070 acres
- Utah – 34,006 acres
- Virginia – 13,890 acres
- Florida – 13,847 acres
- Arizona – 9,982 acres
- California – 7,011 acres
- Washington – 6,582 acres
- Colorado – 3,871 acres
The total remains at below one percent of American farmland but the totals have grown rapidly in recent years. There is currently no federal law stopping Chinese companies or individuals from purchasing U.S. farmland, though some states have recently added such legislation.
According to The National Desk, ownership of U.S. farmland by China has increased by 456% since 2011. Last year, the Treasury Department announced rules to allow the ability to block Chinese corporations from purchasing land near U.S. military bases.
Rep. Michelle Steel, R-Calif., introduced a bill this month to bar businesses owned by companies of U.S. adversaries from operating American ports.
“Nations which threaten the United States should not have easy access to our port infrastructure, a key lifeline of America’s supply chains,” Rep. Steel said in a press release.
“My Secure Our Ports Act would shore up America’s economic and national security in the face of threats from Communist China and their like-minded allies.”
“Congress must protect America’s supply chains by restricting adversarial governments from having high-level access to our ports,” she added.
