Rutherford Joins Colleagues in Raising Concerns Over Chinese-Owned Farmland Near U.S. Military Installations

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman John Rutherford (FL-04) joined Representative Carlos A. Gimenez (FL-26) and 49 of his colleagues in raising concerns over the recent acquisition of farmland near a U.S. military installation by a Chinese-based manufacturer with close links to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The letter was sent to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

"At a time when the United States is engaged in great power competition with China, we must utilize every tool at our disposal to protect and defend the integrity of our military and national security, maintain military dominance, and maximize our global military readiness," the members wrote.

The letter comes after a recent land acquisition near Grand Forks, North Dakota, by the Fufeng Group. The land is in close proximity to Grand Forks Air Force Base, which is a military installation with intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities. The move raises concerns about the CCP's desire to conduct espionage operations on U.S. military installations, potentially jeopardizing U.S. strategic interests.

Read the full letter here.