China’s richest bottled water tycoon quietly purchases land worth four times its appraised value in a strategic location directly across from critical U.S. defense contractors in New Hampshire, raising serious national security alarms.
Key Takeaways
- A Chinese billionaire’s company purchased a 23-acre industrial property in Nashua, NH for $67 million – over four times its $15 million appraised value – without national security review
- The property sits directly across from critical U.S. defense contractors L3Harris and near BAE Systems, raising significant espionage concerns
- Congressional candidate Lily Tang Williams is demanding a federal investigation into the suspicious land purchase
- Chinese entities conducted 97 land transactions in the U.S. between 2020-2022, with alarming patterns of purchases near military installations
- At least 24 states have enacted or considered laws restricting foreign land ownership since 2023, specifically targeting Chinese acquisitions
Strategic Chinese Land Acquisition Raises Red Flags
A 23-acre industrial property in Nashua, New Hampshire was quietly sold in January to China’s largest bottled water company owned by billionaire Zhong Shanshan. The transaction has triggered serious national security concerns due to its suspicious circumstances and strategic location. The property, which was purchased for a staggering $67 million despite an appraised value of only $15 million, sits directly across from L3Harris and near other critical U.S. defense contractors including BAE Systems, raising immediate questions about potential intelligence gathering operations.
“L3Harris, a defense contractor, is just right here across the street,” said Lily Tang Williams, a congressional candidate for New Hampshire’s 2nd district who visited the site to highlight potential national security risks.
The transaction bypassed review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), the federal body responsible for assessing national security implications of foreign investments. This oversight has drawn criticism from security experts who note the transaction’s abnormally high purchase price and strategic location as potential warning signs of ulterior motives beyond commercial interests. The company behind the purchase is controlled by one of China’s wealthiest individuals with close ties to the Chinese Communist Party.
Growing Pattern of Chinese Land Acquisitions Near Defense Sites
This Nashua purchase represents part of a larger, concerning trend of Chinese entities acquiring properties near sensitive U.S. military and defense locations. Government officials and security experts have documented systematic attempts by Chinese-connected entities to establish a presence near strategic U.S. installations. According to recent data, Chinese investors conducted 97 land transactions in the United States between 2020 and 2022, making them the leading foreign investors in American real estate during this period, with concentrated holdings in Texas, North Carolina, Missouri, Utah, and Virginia.
The scope of the concern has prompted direct federal intervention in some cases. The Biden administration previously issued an executive order forcing the shutdown of Chinese-controlled MineOne Partners Ltd. near Wyoming’s Warren Air Force Base, which houses intercontinental ballistic missile facilities. This decisive action underscores the seriousness with which some Chinese property acquisitions are being viewed by national security officials, who cite potential espionage and sabotage risks as primary concerns requiring immediate action.
Political Response and Calls for Investigation
The discovery of this strategically-positioned land purchase has prompted immediate calls for investigation from political candidates and lawmakers. Tang Williams, who fled communist China and is now running for Congress, has been vocal about her concerns regarding the Nashua property’s new ownership. Her firsthand knowledge of the Chinese Communist Party’s methods has amplified her warnings about the potential threat this property acquisition poses to national security infrastructure and sensitive defense operations conducted at neighboring facilities.
“We get upset when the balloons fly over, but now they’re here, they are in my backyard, in New Hampshire. Please, somebody investigate this,” said Lily Tang Williams, congressional candidate.
In response to the growing threat, Congress has introduced legislation, including the Military Installation Retail Security Act, which aims to prevent adversarial nations from operating retail establishments on U.S. military bases. Additionally, the Treasury Department has proposed expanding CFIUS jurisdiction over real estate transactions near military installations. At the state level, at least 24 states have either enacted or considered laws restricting foreign land ownership since 2023, with many specifically targeting Chinese nationals or entities connected to the CCP, recognizing the potential threat to both agricultural security and military operations.
