DeSantis: China Should Not Be Able to Buy U.S. Real Estate

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) warned allowing the Chinese Communist Party and CCP-affiliated people to buy American real estate will bring "undue influence from rogue states" in an interview on Friday with FOX News host Laura Ingraham. "There's concern growing around the United States that China is buying up an enormous amount of land, both residential and farmland. And I know, there are plenty of pieces written about the Chinese purchases of residential real estate, driving the prices up here in Florida. Do you have any concerns about that?" Ingraham asked DeSantis. "I don't think they should be able to do it," DeSantis said. "I think the problem is, is these companies have ties to the CCP. And it's not always apparent on the face of whatever company is doing. But I think it's a huge problem, the influence that they have." "You know, all the things that the elites told us to do with China over the years, most favored nation status, put them in the WTO. Oh, they will be just like us. They'll be more democratic. It's been the opposite. It's empowered them. But then they've become more autocratic. And they're now flexing their muscle more than they ever have in our lifetime," DeSantis said. INGRAHAM: There's concern growing around the United States that China is buying up an enormous amount of land, both residential and farmland. And I know, there are plenty of pieces written about the Chinese purchases of residential real estate, driving the prices up here in Florida. Do you have any concerns about that? DESANTIS: Well, I don't think they should be able to do it. I think the problem is, is these companies have ties to the CCP. And it's not always apparent on the face of whatever company is doing. But I think it's a huge problem, the influence that they have. Now, what we have done in Florida. I've signed legislation to crack down on undue influence from rogue states, including the CCP. So, for example, we banned Confucius Institutes in the state of Florida, they try to go in higher education, and they try to spread the propaganda. So we've taken good steps. And we're also probably going to do legislation, next legislative session about our pension investments with things that may be linked to the CCP. We don't have necessarily have a lot of it. But we want to make sure that we're cutting ties so that we're not funding our number one adversary. INGRAHAM: Does that also apply to the Chinese students here in the United States? Mike Pompeo has spoken extensively about the 360,000 Chinese students who are in our universities, both undergraduate and graduate. Do you have a problem with that? DESANTIS: I think that there are - there is cause for concern. What are they doing in the universities and then what are they taking back to China. You know, all the things that the elites told us to do with China over the years, most favored nation status, put them in the WTO. Oh, they will be just like us. They'll be more democratic. It's been the opposite. It's empowered them. But then they've become more autocratic. And they're now flexing their muscle more than they ever have in our lifetime.