Last week, the Trump administration sounded the alarm, banning Chinese investors from owning or controlling land near U.S. military installations, citing national security concerns. However, the visual aid they used—a map shown at a new conference that colored all of Maricopa County, including the Yuma Proving Ground—grossly overstated China's actual landholdings in Arizona. This information comes courtesy of a recent report by ABC15.
Despite the hyperbolic presentation, federal records reveal only a single Chinese-owned 322-acre parcel in Chandler, which is significantly distant, around 110 miles away from the proving ground. The depiction of Maricopa County, only served to exaggerate perceptions of Chinese encroachment on U.S. soil. The particularly erroneous map was strikingly similar to one published by the New York Post over a year ago but has since been corrected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, noting the actual owners hailed from allied nations like Canada, Germany, Singapore, and Malaysia, as reported by ABC15.
In detail, the fear-provoking map turned out to be based on an outdated 2021 list attributing nearly 10,000 acres to Chinese interests in error. It was not until the Wall Street Journal inquired about the holdings linked to the Walton International Group, a Scottsdale-based global real estate company, that the mistake came to light and subsequent corrections were made by the USDA, as detailed by ABC15.
While the spotlight is on Chinese investments, it’s crucial to note that China owns less than 1% of all farmland held by foreign interests across the United States. Nevertheless, actions have been taken by federal and state legislators to curb the potential threats posed by foreign land ownership near military bases and strategic assets. For instance, President Biden intervened in May 2024, compelling a Chinese company to divest their land used for a server farm, situated uncomfortably close to Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth highlighted the gravity of foreign ownership of land close to strategic sites, stating "Foreign ownership of land near strategic bases, and U.S. military installations poses a serious threat to our national security," according to a news conference covered by Phoenix Business Journal.
On a state level, Arizona has also responded to the perceived threat of Chinese investments. Lawmakers presented Governor Katie Hobbs with legislation aimed at preventing Chinese entities from owning more than 30% of the land near military bases and strategic assets. She vetoed the first bill but later signed a revised version that bans land ownership by governments of foreign adversaries, including China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia. "I’m confident this legislation will protect our military bases and critical infrastructure during a time of escalated foreign threats," Hobbs said, as ABC15 reported when the law was enacted.
However, these legislative moves are not devoid of criticism. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning condemned the U.S. stance on land ownership by Chinese nationals as discriminatory and contrary to international trade protocols, chastising the U.S. for "overstretching the concept of national security and deprives the right of institutions and citizens of particular countries to purchase farmland," as noted last week by Phoenix Business Journal.
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