Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a slew of legislation into law that crack down on China, barring it from purchasing property in the state, restricting colleges from receiving Chinese government funds, and outlawing Tiktok on devices provided by the government.
During a bill signing ceremony in Hernando County, he said that Florida is actually leading the country in terms of what we’re doing to counter the influence of the Chinese Communist Party.
Ron DeSantis Signed A Legislation To Protect Florida
Today, Florida makes it abundantly plain that the CCP is not welcome in the Sunshine State.
This should continue to be known as the Free State of Florida. He pointed out that’s exactly what these legislation are.
According to the Department of Agriculture, China possessed 352,140 acres of land in the United States in 2020, or roughly 1% of all foreign-owned land.
With 12.4 million acres, Canada is the largest foreign landowner in the United States.
About 100 H-1B visa holders from China, including academics and businesses, testified against the proposal.
Many of them mentioned that they would be unable to purchase a home because they work in Florida.
Read more: Florida Republicans Pass Controversial Bills On School Pronouns And Diversity Initiatives
Restrictions And Prohibitions By The Board Of Governors
The new restrictions also prohibit state universities from taking funds from China and prohibit the use of TikTok and other Chinese apps on school and government systems.
Programs for dual degrees, as well as student and faculty exchanges, are prohibited.
The Board of Governors of the university system has the authority to lift the restriction.
Florida has once again taken the lead in defending American interests from foreign threats with the legislation signed today to limit Chinese purchases of agricultural land and land close to military bases and critical infrastructure, to protect digital data from Chinese spies, and to eradicate Chinese influence in Florida’s education system.
Florida has also provided a model for other states to follow in doing the same.