Utah Governor Spencer Cox has blocked a major land deal involving a Chinese-linked company under a new state law targeting foreign adversaries. The move aims to protect state assets from potential national security threats.
Key Facts:
- Utah Gov. Spencer Cox blocked Cirrus Aircraft, owned by Chinese state-linked AVIC, from purchasing state land.
- AVIC is tied to China’s People’s Liberation Army and appears on U.S. federal watch lists.
- HB516, passed in 2024, bans land ownership by entities connected to adversarial nations like China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia.
- Companies have one year to divest land or face state seizure under the law.
- Utah officials say Chinese-held land in the state has dropped from 35,000+ acres to a “very, very small percentage.”
The Rest of The Story:
Governor Cox announced during a press conference in Palmyra that Utah blocked a land purchase by Cirrus Aircraft, a company majority-owned by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).
AVIC is a defense contractor that manufactures fighter jets and drones for the Chinese military and is banned from U.S. federal contracts due to national security concerns.
“They appear on multiple federal watch lists,” Cox said. “Their proposed investment in Utah was millions of dollars and hundreds of jobs. And I don’t care. We are not for sale.”
This decisive action stems from House Bill 516, sponsored by Rep. Candice Pierucci and passed in 2024.
The law restricts entities from China and other adversarial nations from buying land in Utah.
Companies already owning land have a one-year deadline to sell or face government seizure, with profits placed in the state’s General Fund.
Pierucci emphasized the law’s intent: “We really gave them an opportunity to either play nice or do it the hard way.”
She also pointed to the 2022 closure of Confucius Institutes at Utah universities, calling them Chinese propaganda centers.
Commentary:
Governor Cox made the right call. Letting a Chinese state-linked defense contractor buy land in any U.S. state is beyond foolish—it’s dangerous.
No country with its head on straight would allow a foreign military-linked company to set up shop within its borders. China sure wouldn’t.
It’s not just about who owns farmland. This is about national security, plain and simple.
The AVIC group builds equipment for the Chinese military.
That alone should disqualify them from any real estate deal in the United States, let alone in a state with major military and aerospace infrastructure like Utah.
HB516 is exactly the kind of law we need more of—practical, enforceable, and unapologetically focused on protecting U.S. interests.
The fact that companies now have one year to sell their land or face seizure gives them fair warning. And if they refuse, the state has every right to act.
This isn’t about being anti-Chinese people. As Cox made clear, this is about the Chinese government.
Americans of Chinese descent are neighbors, coworkers, and citizens. But the Chinese Communist Party is not a friend of freedom, and its tentacles shouldn’t be allowed to reach into American soil.
It’s heartening to hear that most Chinese-held land in Utah has already been divested. It shows the law is working.
Other states should follow Utah’s lead before it’s too late. Waiting for a security incident to take action is a mistake we can’t afford.
Blocking AVIC sends a clear signal: Utah’s land, economy, and defense are not for sale.
This isn’t about xenophobia. It’s about sovereignty and protecting the future.
Governor Cox and Rep. Pierucci should be commended.
Their leadership serves as a model for other governors, especially in states with sensitive defense industries or large swaths of agricultural land.
National security starts at home.
The Bottom Line:
Utah is leading the charge in protecting its land from foreign adversaries.
Governor Cox’s decision to block a Chinese-linked firm from buying state land shows a serious commitment to national security.
With HB516 in effect, Utah has put up a firm “not for sale” sign.
More states should consider similar action before foreign influence takes deeper root.
Read Next
– Trump Weighs Terror Designation Over Violent Anti-ICE Protests
– Despite Epstein Uproar New Poll Shows Trump Support Has RISEN Among Republicans
– Fed Chairman Powell Says He Won’t Resign Or Be Pressured Into Action Under Any Circumstances
– President Trump Cancels ALL Federal Funding For California’s Boondoggle ‘Bullet Train to Nowhere’
– Biden-Era Loophole on Indirect Abortion Funding for Unaccompanied Minors Closed by Trump Team
