When China’s wealthiest billionaire purchases 23 acres of industrial property near a U.S. defense facility in Nashua, New Hampshire, for “four times the appraised value,” it is understandable that concerned citizens feel alarmed—especially given that most residents of Nashua were unaware of the sale prior to its completion.
The buyer, Nongfu Spring, a Chinese bottled water company, was founded and is owned by Zhong Shanshan, who also serves as its chairperson. In addition to his role at Nongfu Spring, Zhong holds a majority stake in Beijing Wantai Biological Pharmacy Enterprise and has a net worth of approximately $56 billion. From 2022 until 2025, he was recognized as the richest individual in China. Nongfu Spring is the largest beverage company in the country. The recently acquired site in Nashua, intended for the establishment of a water plant, is located adjacent to the Pennichuck water system, enabling the company to source local water for its beverage production.
Concerns of this purchase:
- “You have the airport here. You have our water supply they are looking to capture,” warns State Senator Kevin Avard.
- “Being tied into our Pennichuck water system and taking millions of gallons a day of drinking water from the citizens of Nashua is very concerning,” per local resident Bob Lozeau.
- It is close to several defense centers and a Federal Aviation Administration control center. Apart from being very near defense contractor L3Harris, BAE Systems’ electronic systems sector is less than a 10-minute drive away, and the New Boston Space Force Station (formerly New Boston Air Station) is within a 30-minute drive.
- This project is warned to be a “soft power invasion” – which is a dream of China’s leader Xi Jinping, per Lily Tang Williams, who fled communism in China and has been a longtime U.S. citizen and resident of New Hampshire.
Lily Tang Williams earnestly explains: “I have been trying to warn people,” she said. “Xi Jinping has a China dream, and his China dream is to use a soft power invasion. Business. Education. Apps like TikTok and WeChat. Media. Entertainment. Everything they can, without firing one shot, to expand into western countries like the United States.” She said China doesn’t want her to discuss what she calls the “soft power invasion” and the national security concerns associated with projects like the Nongfu Spring plant.
“I just want to increase awareness… L3Harris, defense contractor, [is] just right here across the street.” “We get upset when the balloons fly over, but now they’re here, they are in my backyard, in New Hampshire. Please, somebody investigate this.”
Hear Lily speak directly about these concerns to U.S. national security risks:
In her own state of New Hampshire, Lily Tang Williams is running for Congress in the Second District. Being born in China and raised during Mao’s Cultural Revolution, Williams experienced firsthand the oppressive nature of the Communist regime, and cautions that: “I fear the country I love is becoming the country I left.”
According to Williams, the property was appraised at $15 million but sold for $67 million, which is more than four times its assessed value. Notably, this transaction took place without review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) during the presidential transition period.
There are many other real estate transactions in the US. with Chinese-owned land holdings. While federal efforts to restrict Chinese nationals or entities from purchasing land in the United States have stalled, at least 24 states have considered or enacted laws restricting foreign land ownership, particularly targeting Chinese nationals or entities, since 2023. May the warning from Lily Tang Williams impact all of the United States.
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