GOP candidate who pledged to stop China from buying US farmland once profited from it
Jack Ciattarelli, the Republican candidate for governor in New Jersey, has come under scrutiny for his investments in Chinese companies, including one that owns U.S. farmland and has ties to the Chinese military and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). A recent review of financial disclosures by Fox News Digital revealed that Ciattarelli has invested in WH Group, a Chinese company that acquired about 146,000 acres of U.S. farmland when they bought Smithfield Foods in 2013.
In response to concerns about foreign entities owning U.S. farmland, New Jersey state Sens. Doug Steinhardt and Michael Testa sponsored a bill in 2023 that would restrict all ownership of agricultural land in the state by foreign governments and persons. Ciattarelli has pledged to sign the bill into law if elected, stating that “no foreign entities should be able to buy our farmland.”
While Ciattarelli has stated that he would advocate against foreign entities owning U.S. farmland as governor, his financial disclosures from 2015, 2016, and 2021 revealed his investments in Chinese companies, including WH Group. However, his campaign spokesperson noted that his professional financial advisor manages his investment portfolio.
Despite his investments in Chinese companies, Ciattarelli has since divested from them, according to his financial disclosures filed in 2025. The campaign declined to explain why he had divested, but emphasized that he allows his financial advisor to manage his investments.
In addition to WH Group, Ciattarelli has disclosed investments in other Chinese companies, such as China National Offshore Oil Corporation Limited, Ping An Insurance, China Lodging Group Limited, China Mobile Limited, Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical Company Limited, NetEase, Inc., and China Eastern Airlines Corporation Limited. However, he has divested from these companies, according to his latest financial disclosures.
One of the companies Ciattarelli invested in, the Chinese National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), was added to the Entity List by the Department of Commerce in 2021 for threatening national security. Another company, China Mobile, was identified by the Department of Defense as one of several “Chinese Military Companies Operating in the United States.”
Despite the scrutiny over his investments, Ciattarelli launched his third consecutive Republican gubernatorial campaign in April 2024. He faces several primary challengers, including conservative media commentator Bill Spadea, State Sen. Jon Bramnick, former Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac, and contractor Justin Barbera. The New Jersey primary is scheduled for June 10.
In conclusion, while Ciattarelli’s investments in Chinese companies have raised concerns, he has since divested from them and reiterated his commitment to preventing foreign entities from owning U.S. farmland. Voters will have the opportunity to decide his fate in the upcoming primary election.
