LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders led a group of 16 Republican governors in signing a letter asking for Biden administration action against China.
The letter asks the administration, along with House and Senate leaders, to take steps to stop the Chinese Communist Party in its efforts to buy U.S. land.
“For too long, we have allowed dangerous and adversarial governments to infiltrate our country,” the letter states. “Our States will tolerate such allowances no longer. The Biden Administration must reckon with the fact that such entities are plain threats to our national security, our farmers, and our citizenry.”
The letter continues by pointing out a Chinese law passed in 2017 requiring Chinese citizens abroad to collaborate with Chinese security officials, “no questions asked.”
The letter cited the recent purchase of 270 acres of land in Michigan near the Grayling National Guard Facility by a subsidiary of a Chinese state company as a security concern.
“Unfortunately, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States declined to block—or even review—this plainly alarming transaction,” the letter stated.
The letter stated that the Biden administration has failed to act, leaving states such as Arkansas to pass laws about foreign ownership.
Arkansas was the first state in the nation to call for the divestiture of land owned by the Chinese government.
In October, Sanders ordered a Chinese-owned seed company to divest its ownership of 160 acres in Craighead County. She acted under the authority of a law passed in the recent general session of the legislature.
The same company recently paid a $280,000 fine to Arkansas for a late filing, violating a 2021 law.
After the release of the letter Monday, Sanders took to X, formerly Twitter, to reinforce the position of Arkansas and her administration on land ownership by foreign entities.
“We simply can’t trust those who pledge allegiance to a hostile foreign power,” she said.
Governors joining with Sanders in signing the letter are Ron DeSantis of Florida, Brian Kemp of Georgia, Brad Little of Idaho, Kim Reynolds of Iowa, Greg Gianforte of Montana, Jim Pillen of Nebraska, Doug Burgum of North Dakota, Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma, Henry McMaster of South Carolina, Kristi Noem of South Dakota, Bill Lee of Tennessee, Greg Abbott of Texas, Glenn Youngkin of Virginia, Jim Justice of West Virginia and Mark Gordon of Wyoming as well as Governor-elect Jeff Landry of Louisiana.
