Communist China Party Member Now Second-Largest Foreign Owner of US Land, Land Buys Missing from Government Records

This week’s revelation that a Chinese billionaire and member of its Communist Party is the second-largest foreign owner of farmland in the US sparked outrage among politicians, who want to know why Chen Tianqiao’s $85 million purchase was a secret for nearly a decade.

Why did Democrat governments keep these land deals a secret?

Chen, a co-founder of Shanda Interactive Entertainment, bought nearly 200,000 acres of farmland in Oregon in 2015 at about $430 an acre, according to the Land Report, a magazine that focuses on private land ownership in the US.

However, his purchase of the acreage does not appear in government records of land ownership by foreign investors, the Daily Mail reported Saturday.

CCP member and Chairman Mao admirer Chen Tianqiao’s $85MILLION purchase of Oregon timberland is missing from government records, alarming lawmakers: Is now second-largest foreign owner of US land

• Chinese billionaire Chen Tianqiao bought 198,000 acres of US timberland in 2015, but it does not appear on federal records for foreign land owners
• It has sparked concerns among senators that the Biden administration is failing to keep tabs on Chinese investment amid growing tensions with Beijing
• Gaming mogul Chen’s timberland purchase only hit the news after Oregon tax records released last month revealed his company as the beneficial owner

By Miles Dilworth, Senior Reporter For Dailymail.Com, 13 January 2024

The purchase of $85million worth of US agricultural land by a Chinese billionaire and alleged Communist Party member has sparked outcry among lawmakers after it went largely unreported for eight years.

It emerged earlier this week that California-based online gaming pioneer Chen Tianqiao owns 198,000 acres of Oregon timberland, making him the second largest foreign owner of American land.

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The sale went through in 2015, but only became widespread knowledge on Monday after Oregon tax records unveiled one of Chen’s companies as the beneficial owner.

The 50-year-old is a member of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), has held executive roles in CCP-affiliated organizations and is an admirer of Chairman Mao, according to multiple Chinese media reports.

He also owns a $39million Manhattan mansion and a $25million Los Angeles estate, while his Oregon land grab makes him the largest Chinese owner of US real estate.

[…]

A listing shows a 32,995-acre block of Chen’s Oregon timberland is now for sale for $95million. It is part of 198,000 acres of the billionaire bought in the state for $85million in 2015

A listing shows a 32,995-acre block of Chen’s Oregon timberland is now for sale for $95million. It is part of 198,000 acres of the billionaire bought in the state for $85million in 2015
Chen, who reportedly has extensive links to the Chinese Communist Party, also owns the Vanderbilt Mansion on East 69th Street in Manhattan

He and his wife, Chrissy Chen, paid $39million for the property in 2018

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Yet it does not appear anywhere in government records of agricultural land ownership by foreign investors, DailyMail.com can reveal.

The revelation that a billionaire from a hostile nation has been able to own such a huge swathe of US land for eight years without it appearing in official reports intended to track such acquisitions has sparked consternation across the political divide.

Senators have accused the Biden administration of failing to keep tabs on Chinese investment, raising the prospect that its scale could be much larger than first thought.

House GOP Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik accused officials of ‘dropping the ball’ on the matter.

‘Food security is national security. We cannot protect our agricultural land from foreign adversaries if we do not know they are purchasing it,’ she told DailyMail.com.

‘The Biden Administration’s failure to perform due diligence is inexcusable.’

Increased Chinese ownership of US land has sparked a backlash from some lawmakers who have cited concerns over espionage and security.

Chinese firms own more than $2billion worth of US farmland, up from just $162million a decade ago, according to the latest US Department of Agriculture (USDA) figures.

Department data shows CCP-linked firms had a stake in 346,915 acres of American agricultural land as of December 2022.

But this does not include the 198,000 acres of Oregon timberland owned by Chen, which is almost double the amount of land owned by former People’s Liberation Army captain Sun Guangxin, previously thought to be the biggest Chinese owner of farmland in the US.

Chen was 18 when he joined the CCP, according to a 2007 article from Communist Youth Daily, the official newspaper for the Communist Youth League.

He has since repeatedly been identified as a CCP member by Chinese media outlets, as first reported by Daily Caller.

The father-of-two is also an admirer of Mao Zedong and his written works are prominently displayed in Chen’s corporate office, according to Chinese media.