Chinese Continue Pursuit Of Resources And Land

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/chinese-swoop-on-16-dairy-farms-in-new-zealand-6295945.html

Chinese investors are buying New Zealand farmland for the first time, causing anxiety in a country heavily reliant on agriculture.

New Zealand's government approved the sale of 16 dairy farms to a Chinese developer, whose total investment in the project will be more than £100m.

The Prime Minister, John Key, defended the sale, saying less than 1 per cent of farmland had been sold to foreigners, but nationalist voices lined up against the deal, saying it will open the floodgates to foreign ownership.

And this is not a new trend , not limited to New Zealand.......

http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/foreign-land-buys-go-unchecked-in-australia/story-e6frfku0-1226026504869

Proposed investment in the agriculture, forestry and fishing industry for properties worth more than the $231 million threshold in Australia increased in 2008-09, with 12 proposals with a total value of $2.8 billion approved by the FIRB.

Real estate agents told The Weekly Times interest in Australian farming land from foreigners had been widespread, but mostly stemmed from China and the Middle East.

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/afx/2008/05/08/afx4989182.html

BEIJING (XFN-ASIA) - The Chinese government may encourage domestic companies to buy farmland abroad, particularly in Africa and South America, to help guarantee food security, the Financial Times reported.

Beijing has similar policies to boost offshore investment by state-owned banks, manufacturers and oil companies, but agricultural investment has been limited to a few small projects, the newspaper noted.

Citing an official close to the deliberations, the newspaper said the proposal was likely to be adopted. If approved, however, it could face intense international opposition because of surging global food prices and deforestation fears, the newspaper added.

'There should be no problem for this policy to be approved. The problem might come from foreign governments who are unwilling to give up large areas of land,' the newspaper quoted the official as saying.

China has about 40 pct of the world's farmers but just nine pct of the world's arable land, according to the newspaper.

Soybean, bananas, vegetables and edible oil crops would be the focus of policy support for Chinese companies buying land overseas, the newspaper added.