DeSantis Administration Looks Into Banning China From Purchasing Any Florida Property

By Amber Jo Cooper

Published Jan. 5, 2023, 12:09 p.m. ET | Updated Jan. 5, 2023

TALLAHASSEE (FLV) – Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration is looking into banning China from purchasing not only farmland but any property in Florida, sources told Florida’s Voice.

NEW: Sources told me Governor DeSantis’ administration is looking to ban China from purchasing not only farmland but any property in Florida
— Brendon Leslie (@BrendonLeslie) January 5, 2023

DeSantis has previously spoken out against China purchasing land.

“From a national security perspective, is that something that we wanna see? And a lot of times, there’ll be companies that will put themselves out as private, but if you peel back the onion a little bit, they’re basically controlled by the [CCP],” DeSantis said.

DeSantis on CCP land purchases: "From a national security perspective, is that something that we wanna see? And a lot of times, there'll be companies that will put themselves out as private, but if you peel back the onion a little bit, they're basically controlled by the [CCP]." pic.twitter.com/pHrGKDVo2l
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) September 22, 2022

In September, the DeSantis Administration previously signed an executive order and proposed legislation in an effort to limit regimes like the Chinese Communist Party from obtaining Floridians’ private information.

DeSantis announced a signed executive order that would ban state government entities from procuring tech commodities and services from companies owned and controlled by China and other countries of concern. The other countries include Iran, Russia and Cuba.

“The last thing we want to see is the CCP getting their mitts onto people’s personal information,” DeSantis said.

“This will prevent the exposure of Floridians’ personal information and technology systems in Florida to foreign entities and bad actors.”

He expressed concern about countries using technology to obtain personal information of Americans like driver’s license info and school data.

“I think it’s a huge national security risk that TikTok, we didn’t combat it earlier,” he said. “And you’re seeing this across the board.”

The governor also wants legislation proposed for the 2023 session to prohibit government entities from contracting with companies owned by or controlled by foreign countries of concern, if the contract provides access to Floridians’ personal information.

“We want all of your information secured,” he explained. “So this is things like social security numbers, it’s things like your medical records that should not be in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party.”

Brendon Leslie and Lydia Nusbaum contributed to this report.