WASHINGTON, D.C.- Nebraska Congressman Mike Flood, during a House financial services hearing, highlighted the possibility of Chinese surveillance programs and questioned a former assistant Secretary of the Treasury about the purchasing of land by Chinese business entities in rural America. "Folks in North Dakota and several rural states are raising the red flag about the Chinese Government purchasing real estate in the United States," claimed Flood during the hearing.

Flood asked Tom Feddo, the former assistant Secretary of the Treasury, about the extent to which Chinese real estate purchases came under review by the Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States. Feddo responded by claiming that the CFIUS is primarily concerned about real estate purchases near military installations, but didn't indicate how many purchases came under review.

Flood, later on in the hearing, cited an instance where the Chinese government offered to purchase a garden in Washington, D.C., claiming that this was an attempt at information-gathering. This particular instance fell outside of the CFIUS's jurisdiction for review, but Flood claimed that such purchases must be review by them to ensure that no information-gathering is allowed.

For the full article click HERE