China’s strategic land purchases near U.S. military bases raise national security alarms
By willowt // 2025-10-16
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  • Former Trump national security official David Feith warns Chinese-owned farmland near U.S. military installations could be exploited for espionage or sabotage.
  • States like South Dakota, Texas and Florida have enacted bans on foreign land purchases near sensitive sites, but federal gaps remain.
  • The Treasury Department seeks to expand CFIUS oversight to include land within 100 miles of 19 major bases, but loopholes persist.
  • Chinese-linked firms, compelled by Beijing’s intelligence laws, pose risks even through seemingly benign agricultural or crypto-mining operations.
  • The Fufeng Group’s blocked North Dakota corn mill near Grand Forks Air Force Base exemplifies growing bipartisan security concerns.
China’s accelerating acquisitions of U.S. farmland—particularly near military installations—have triggered bipartisan national security concerns, with experts warning these holdings could be exploited for espionage or even acts of sabotage. Former Trump administration official David Feith, who served on the National Security Council, recently highlighted the risks in a 60 Minutes interview, pointing to Beijing’s strategic positioning of agricultural and industrial assets close to sensitive defense sites. The issue gained urgency after North Dakota officials blocked China’s Fufeng Group from constructing a corn mill near Grand Forks Air Force Base in 2023, following Air Force warnings of a "significant threat to national security." While Chinese entities own only a fraction of U.S. farmland (roughly 277,000 acres out of 45 million foreign-held acres), proximity matters—and federal oversight remains fragmented.

State vs. federal patchwork leaves gaps

While 29 states have enacted restrictions on foreign land purchases, enforcement varies. South Dakota, Texas and Florida have taken aggressive steps, citing warnings from Brigadier General Robert Spalding about China’s potential for "economic espionage and infrastructure sabotage." Yet jurisdictional overlaps create confusion—as seen when Fufeng evaded USDA reporting rules for years before facing penalties. The Treasury Department’s proposed CFIUS expansion aims to close gaps by covering land within 100 miles of 19 critical bases. However, loopholes persist—such as the Nongfu Spring purchase in Nashua, which bypassed CFIUS scrutiny under foreign property laws.

Beyond farmland: Crypto mines and cyber risks

Feith also raised alarms over Chinese-backed cryptocurrency mining operations, which consume massive electricity and often sit near military sites. In 2024, President Biden forced a Chinese firm to dismantle a crypto mine near Wyoming’s Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, home to nuclear missiles. Feith believes these data centers could be used for gathering intelligence or to sabotage the electrical grid. "They're effectively enormous and enormously powerful data centers. The first threat they pose is for intelligence collection. And the second threat is that they can sabotage the power grid because they draw so much power," Feith warned, noting China’s National Intelligence Law mandates corporate cooperation with state espionage.

A longstanding vulnerability

The U.S. has long grappled with foreign exploitation of economic investments for strategic gain. During the Cold War, Soviet front companies infiltrated Western industries—a tactic now mirrored by China. The 2023 Fufeng controversy echoes past clashes, such as the 1980s uproar over Japanese purchases of iconic U.S. assets like Rockefeller Center. But unlike Japan, China’s Communist Party wields direct control over its corporations, blurring the line between private enterprise and state-backed threats.

A call for unified defense

As states scramble to fill federal gaps, experts urge cohesive action. Feith’s warnings underscore a stark reality: America’s adversaries no longer need traditional warfare to inflict damage. From drone strikes to cyberattacks, modern conflicts can be waged through seemingly innocuous assets—like farmland or data centers. The question now is whether Washington can unify its defenses before Beijing turns these holdings into a battlefield.

Securing the homeland

The race to safeguard U.S. soil from foreign exploitation is intensifying. While state-level bans mark progress, only a coordinated federal strategy—bolstered by CFIUS reforms and stricter transparency—can fully neutralize the threat. As Feith cautioned, the next attack may not come from a missile, but from a cornfield. Sources for this article include: YourNews.com CBSNews.com CBS17.com
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