Farmland scene in Los Banos, California, USA.

(Reuters file photo)

[Compilation Guan Shuping/Comprehensive Report] The Wall Street Journal of the United States exclusively reported on the 25th that a group of Democratic and Republican members of the U.S. Congress said that the recent purchase of American land by Chinese buyers is worrying, and they are planning to testify in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives this week. Introduce bills to increase scrutiny of farmland purchases by foreign buyers, including China.

Lawmakers from both parties in Congress will introduce bills to increase scrutiny of purchases of U.S. farmland by non-U.S. buyers, a move that would include the agricultural sector in federal scrutiny of investments with national security concerns and would add the secretary of agriculture to such scrutiny The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which works in the United States, has indicated that its mission goals include protecting U.S. agricultural supply chains from foreign interference.

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Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville (Tommy Tuberville), who co-sponsored the Senate, said, "Over the past few years, we have seen an alarming increase in foreign purchases of farmland and food companies, especially by China." Why does American agriculture need a permanent seat while our government filters foreign investment in our country."

In the House of Representatives, it was co-sponsored by Republican Representative Ronny Jackson and Democratic Representatives Abigail Spanberger and Vicente Gonzalez.

Spanberg said, "Foreign direct investment in U.S. agriculture and infrastructure has skyrocketed, mostly driven by investment from the Chinese Communist Party." strength, our agricultural industry, and national security.”

In 2013, China Shuanghui International Holdings Co., Ltd. acquired Virginia-based Smithfield Foods, Inc. for US$4.7 billion, which was one of the largest Chinese acquisitions in the U.S. agricultural sector.

The "U.S. Foreign Investment Review Committee" is led by the Secretary of the Treasury, and its members include leaders from the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Defense. recommendations.

The legislation would list agricultural supply chains as critical infrastructure and critical technologies, ensuring the council has clear jurisdiction over farmland and related facilities.

Much of the committee's oversight currently focuses on investments in U.S. companies and some real estate deals.

However, the proposed bill does not prevent Chinese or other foreign companies from acquiring U.S. farmland, as other similar bills have sought in the past.

Liu Pengyu, spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in the United States, responded that economic trade and investment should not be politicized, "I hope that the United States will provide a fair, just, and non-discriminatory environment to allow foreign companies, including Chinese companies, to invest and operate in the United States." It is irresponsible to play the China card and hype up the "China Threat Theory", and it will also harm the interests of the United States."