Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Commenting on the US government's announcement the previous day to ban all farmland sales to buyers linked to China and other countries it considers adversaries — citing national and food security concerns — Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Wednesday that the US is overstretching the concept of national security and unjustly denying institutions and citizens of certain countries their legitimate right to purchase land and property. She noted this is a typical act of discrimination. 

Such measures run counter to the principles of a market economy and the rules of international trade, and will ultimately harm the interests of the US itself, Mao said. "We urge the US to immediately stop politicizing trade and investment issues," she added.

Global Times