The proximity of Chinese-backed entities to US military bases, including a nuclear missile site in Wyoming, has sparked significant national security concerns. Recently, the US government intervened to block a Chinese-supported cryptocurrency mining firm from owning land near Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, citing it as a “national security risk,” according to AP. This action required the firm to divest its property, which operated as a crypto mining facility close to the base.

MineOne Partners Ltd., partially backed by Chinese nationals, had purchased land within a mile of the Air Force base in Cheyenne in 2022. The US Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States found that the purchase was not reported as required until prompted by a public tip, as reported by AP.

Additionally, the New York Post highlighted concerns that Chinese entities have been acquiring farmland strategically located near US military installations across 19 bases from Florida to Hawaii. This has raised fears of potential espionage or sabotage, with the possibility that under the guise of farming, Chinese landowners could set up surveillance equipment such as radar, infra-red scanning, or even fly drones over sensitive military sites.

Reports indicate instances where Chinese nationals have illicitly accessed US military bases and sensitive locations over 100 times in recent years. Incidents range from unauthorized entry into a missile range in New Mexico to scuba divers approaching rocket launch sites at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, as detailed by the Wall Street Journal. Federal agencies, including the Defense Department and FBI, have responded by reviewing measures to counter these intrusions, viewing them as espionage attempts.

Overall, these developments underscore ongoing concerns about Chinese influence near critical US defense infrastructure and efforts to mitigate associated risks to national security.