Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Top Stories

Economic relations: U.S. and its adversaries

Large bipartisan majorities favor prohibiting sale of U.S. property and oil reserves to affiliates of foreign adversaries

Economic relations: U.S. and its adversaries
Getty Images

Steven Kull is Program Director of the Program for Public Consultation,

Large bipartisan majorities favor proposals that would prohibit the sale of U.S. real estate and oil reserves to entities linked to foreign adversaries, including China and Russia. Three-quarters (73 percent) support a prohibition on the sale of property, including farmland; while 72 percent support a prohibition on selling oil from U.S. oil reserves, according to an in-depth study by the Program for Public Consultation at the University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy.


Concerns among Members of Congress over the economic relations of the U.S. with its adversaries, particularly China, have been on the rise. This has been caused in part by increasing purchases of U.S. agricultural land by Chinese companies; as well as the sale of U.S. oil reserves to Chinese energy companies. Members of Congress and state legislatures have introduced legislation to address this issue. Rep. Gallagher, the Chairman of the House select committee on China, recently put forward a bipartisan bill which would give federal officials greater authority to block companies affiliated with foreign adversaries from acquiring certain U.S. lands, particularly those near sensitive sites (e.g. military bases, telecommunication infrastructure.)

The public consultation survey of 2,625 registered voters ensured that respondents understood the issues by first providing a short briefing on the proposals and having them evaluate arguments for and against. The content was reviewed by expert proponents and opponents of the proposals to ensure that the briefing was accurate and balanced and that the arguments presented were the strongest ones being made.

Currently, the federal government reviews sales of major businesses, technologies and land near military sites to foreign entities, and blocks them if they are deemed a national security risk. One proposal would expand this authority to cover sales of all land and real estate, and require the sale be blocked if the purchaser is determined to be linked to a foreign adversary, whether or not it directly poses a national security risk ( H.R. 212). This is favored by 73 percent (Republicans 84 percent, Democrats 64 percent, independents 69 percent).

The other proposal focused specifically on blocking sales of farmland to foreign entities if the sale is determined to be a national security risk ( S. 138). Support for this proposal is even higher at 80 percent (Republicans 84 percent, Democrats 78 percent, independents 77 percent).

All of the arguments in favor of these proposals were found convincing by a bipartisan majority, including the arguments that: control of property could give adversaries an inroad to influence our politics (87 percent convincing); this is a smart foreign policy move to give U.S. leverage over China (80 percent); and adversaries’ purchase of farmland is a risk to our food security (88 percent).

The arguments against were found convincing by less than half, including the arguments that this will: lead to discrimination against ordinary Chinese individuals and businesses in the U.S. (41 percent, though 54 percent of Democrats found it convincing); worsen already tense relations with our adversaries (40 percent); and hurt foreign investment in the U.S. (35 percent).

The second part of the survey was on a proposal to prohibit the sale of oil from the U.S.’ Strategic Petroleum Reserve to any company affiliated with a foreign adversary, most of which are owned or controlled by their national government ( H.R.293, H.R. 21, S. 283). A bipartisan majority of nearly three-quarters (72%) were in favor of prohibiting such sales (Republicans 82 percent, Democrats 65 percent, independents 66 percent).

“Historically, Americans tend to support limiting economic relations with adversaries,” commented Steven Kull, director of PPC.

The sample was large enough to enable analysis of attitudes in very Republican and very Democratic districts based on Cook PVI ratings. In all cases, very large majorities favored the ban on land and real estate purchases (very red 79 percent to very blue 62 percent) and the ban on oil reserve purchases (very red 75 percent to very blue 60 percent).

Though there was strong support for limiting economic engagement with China, among other adversaries, only one in three said they saw China as an enemy (34 percent), with large partisan differences (Republicans 53 percent, Democrats 19 percent). Rather, a majority (59 percent) saw China as a competitor, while just seven percent saw it as a partner. These perceptions relate to support for these new restrictions. Nearly nine-in-ten of those who view China as an enemy favored the property and oil reserve restrictions (89 percent and 88 percent, respectively), with support dropping to around two-thirds among those who said competitor (68 percent and 65 percent), and below half among those who said partner (43 percent and 47 percent).

The survey was fielded online May 19-30, 2023 with a probability-based national sample of 2,625 registered voters provided by Nielsen Scarborough from its larger sample, which is recruited by telephone and mail from a random sample of households. There is a margin of error of +/- 1.9 percent.

Questionnaire with Frequencies
Slides with Findings
Try the Policymaking Simulation

Read More

The Economic Models that Made America Great Are Broken

American flag and money

Javier Ghersi/Getty Images

The Economic Models that Made America Great Are Broken

We all want an America where hard work pays, families thrive, and the American Dream is real again. Greatness starts with dignity for workers, safety for communities, and a fair shot for every kid. The promise is simple: if you put in the work, you should be able to raise a family and get ahead—period.

So why do we cling to what is obviously not working for everyday people?

Keep ReadingShow less
Meet the Faces of Democracy: Neal Kelley

Neal Kelley, who served as the registrar of voters for Orange County, California for nearly two decades before retiring from the role in 2022.

Issue One.

Meet the Faces of Democracy: Neal Kelley

Editor’s note: More than 10,000 officials across the country run U.S. elections. This interview is part of a series highlighting the election heroes who are the faces of democracy.

Neal Kelley, a Republican, served as the registrar of voters for Orange County, California for nearly two decades before retiring from the role in 2022. Home to nearly 2 million voters, Orange County, part of the Greater Los Angeles area, is one of the largest jurisdictions by population in the country and the third largest in the state. Kelley is currently the Chair Emeritus of the Committee for Safe and Secure Elections, as well as the statewide project manager for the 2024-2026 elections in Hawaii.

Keep ReadingShow less
Is America Still Welcoming Global Talent?
Close up of american visa label in passport.
Getty Images/Alexander W. Helin

Is America Still Welcoming Global Talent?

A few weeks ago, when new proposals limiting J and F visa expansion were open for public comment, immigration quickly became a hot topic again at our research center, where more than half the scientists come from abroad. Some worried about their plan, others traded news and updates about the H1-B. A colleague asked if I was anxious too. To my own surprise, I wasn’t.

I used to be. But after weathering turbulent visa policies under different U.S. administrations, like many other international scholars, I have learned to stay flexible and mobile. My U.S. visa for a graduate program was delayed due to tensions between the U.S. and China several years ago. Up against a deadline for the program, I pivoted to Japan to continue the research training. What felt like a closed door became a new window: I fortunately joined a world-class team in tissue-engineering vascular medicine, broadened my view of clinical care and research, and began bridging my path as both practitioner and scientist. Committed to strengthening the “bench-to-bed” pipeline—learning real-world needs and translating research to meet them—I chose the United States again to carry this work forward.

Keep ReadingShow less