China decries ‘discriminatory’ ban on Chinese purchases of US farmland

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The Trump administration planned to claw back what has already been purchased by China and other foreign adversaries.

PHOTO: REUTERS

BEIJING - Beijing condemned on July 9 new restrictions by Washington on Chinese purchases of US farmland as “discriminatory” and violating international trade rules.

The Trump administration said this week that the

US would begin restricting purchases of farmland by Chinese nationals

Ms Mao Ning, a spokeswoman for China’s Foreign Ministry, condemned the restrictions as “a typical discriminatory practice that violates the principles of a market economy and international economic and trade rules and will ultimately harm the US’ own interests”.

“We urge the US to immediately stop politicising economic, trade and investment issues,” she said.

US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins unveiled the National Farm Security Action Plan on July 8, citing national security concerns and referring to “Chinese Communist acquisition of American farmland”.

Ms Rollins said the Trump administration also planned to “claw back what has already been purchased by China and other foreign adversaries”.

China ranks number 20 on a list of foreign owners of agricultural land, holding 112,234ha at the end of 2023, according to the US Department of Agriculture.

Among the largest Chinese owners of US farmland is Smithfield Foods, which was purchased by a Chinese company, WH Group, in 2013. AFP