Florida’s Ron DeSantis signs bills limiting Chinese land ownership, TikTok at schools

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis responds to a question during a press conference in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, in April. Photo: TNS

Florida governor and presumptive US presidential candidate Ron DeSantis on Monday signed legislation that would ban the use of TikTok and other Chinese apps on school and government servers and limit land purchases by citizens from China, the latest moves by state authorities aimed at countering perceived threats from Beijing.

The three China-related bills that DeSantis signed, passed with bipartisan support by the Republican-controlled legislature, also include one that prohibits universities in the southeastern coastal state from accepting any funds from China.

“Today, we’re really recognising the threat [from China], and we’re taking action,” DeSantis said in a press briefing.

Other nations labelled as “countries of concern” in the bills are Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela and Syria.