In Nashua, New Hampshire – a city better known for quiet neighborhoods than international intrigue – China’s largest beverage company, Nongfu Spring, just made an eye-popping real estate move. According to NewsNation, the company paid $67 million in cash for a commercial property valued at just $15 million. That’s more than four times the assessed worth. And the kicker? It’s located right next to the town’s main drinking water system. As reported by Brian Entin in a segment hosted by Leland Vittert, the purchase has stirred local suspicion and raised national security concerns.
Next to Water, an Airport and Defense Facilities
The massive industrial building spans over 337,000 square feet and sits on 23 acres, Entin reports. Not only is it tied into the Pennichuck water system, which supplies the region’s drinking water, but it’s also located close to the Nashua Airport, several defense contractors, and an FAA control center. The proximity to sensitive infrastructure is causing people to ask serious questions about the buyer’s intent.
State Senator Kevin Avard, who represents the area, spoke to NewsNation about the risks. “You have the airport here. You have our water supply they are looking to capture,” he warned. The idea that a foreign-owned company could potentially access or influence a local water supply has triggered alarms across the community.
The Buyer: A Billionaire With Ties to Beijing
The man behind the purchase is Zhong Shanshan, founder of Nongfu Spring and one of the richest people in China. The company is best known for bottling and selling drinking water across Asia. But in this case, as NewsNation uncovered, Nongfu Spring isn’t just setting up a plant. It appears to be gaining direct access to millions of gallons of American water, right from the source.
Local resident Bob Lozeau expressed his shock in the report: “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.” Especially when the deal was made with little to no public notice or discussion. Lozeau says most residents didn’t even know the sale had happened until it was too late.
No Public Hearings. No Warning. No Transparency.
One of the most unsettling details in Entin’s reporting is how quietly the sale went through. There were no public forums, no announcements, and no efforts to inform the community in advance. It was only when the sale price became public, $67 million for a $15 million site, that the alarms really started ringing.
“This seems to be the kind of thing that was done very stealthily,” said one Nashua resident interviewed by NewsNation. The lack of transparency is what bothers many people most. If the project was aboveboard, why hide it? Why skip the usual community outreach?
A Second Chinese Purchase Raises More Red Flags
Nongfu Spring’s acquisition isn’t the only Chinese-backed land deal in Nashua. Just a few miles away sits the abandoned campus of the former Daniel Webster College. According to Entin’s report and the NewsNation article, a Chinese investor bought that 50-acre site about seven years ago for $14 million – again, well above its market value. Today, the property is mostly deserted.
Nashua’s mayor, Jim Donchess, acknowledged the odd pattern. “It’s very weird,” he said. “Why they would do that, I have no idea.” While Donchess maintains he sees no immediate national security threat, he admits the purchases are puzzling. “It’s very puzzling as to why that would happen,” he told NewsNation.
A Voice of Warning: Lily Tang Williams Speaks Out
Among the most vocal critics of China’s growing influence in America is Lily Tang Williams, a Republican running for Congress in New Hampshire. Williams fled communist China years ago and now sees worrying signs in her new home. Speaking to NewsNation, she said she was “shocked” after researching the Nongfu deal in both English and Mandarin.
“I’ve 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.”
Her warning wasn’t vague. Williams directly tied the Nashua water deal to Beijing’s broader geopolitical strategy. And as someone who once lived under that system, her concern carries weight.
What Is “Soft Power Invasion” – And Why Does It Matter?
The term “soft power invasion” refers to the use of economic and cultural influence, rather than military force, to gain control or leverage. In this case, it’s not tanks or troops, but bottled water and real estate purchases near critical infrastructure.
NewsNation highlighted how Chinese government-linked entities have been buying land across the U.S., often near military bases, power grids, and now, apparently, water supplies. These moves might seem innocent on the surface, but the pattern is starting to look deliberate. And when companies like Nongfu Spring overpay by tens of millions, people naturally wonder what’s really going on.
Nongfu Spring Stays Silent
As of the time of publication, Nongfu Spring has not responded to NewsNation’s request for comment. That silence only adds to the confusion. If the company’s only goal is to set up a bottling plant, why not be transparent? Why spend $67 million when similar properties could be bought for a fraction of that price? Why ignore public engagement?
Without answers from Nongfu Spring, people are left to speculate – and the speculation isn’t flattering. Some fear espionage, while others worry about environmental exploitation or long-term strategic positioning.
The Mayor’s Cautious Stance
Mayor Jim Donchess told NewsNation that the city still owns the Pennichuck water system and has no plans to sell it. That’s a critical point. It means the actual water rights remain in public hands, for now. But the facility’s location and the sheer amount of water Nongfu could siphon off through business operations has many people unsettled.
Donchess says he’s not opposed to the project, but his uncertainty about the motives behind the purchase speaks volumes. He’s not ringing the alarm bell himself, but he understands why others are.
A Pattern That Can’t Be Ignored
Whether it’s TikTok, farmland, or beverage plants, there’s a growing pattern of Chinese investments that raise strategic questions. NewsNation’s coverage puts this particular case under a microscope, but it also highlights a broader issue: What happens when foreign powers buy up America, piece by piece?
Lily Tang Williams may sound like a voice from the Cold War, but her firsthand knowledge of China’s government gives her a unique – and chilling – perspective. She believes these deals aren’t just business. They’re influence operations. “They want me to shut up,” she said. “If I go back [to China], I’ll disappear.”
Sometimes the Questions Are the Point
What fascinates me most about this case isn’t just the price tag. It’s the stealth. The silence. The way it slipped under the radar until someone did the math. $67 million for a mostly-abandoned building next to a water supply? You don’t have to be a conspiracy theorist to think that’s weird.
When deals are made in the shadows and answers are hard to come by, suspicion isn’t paranoia – it’s prudence. We don’t need to jump to conclusions, but we should demand transparency. Americans have the right to know who’s buying up land – and why.
A Small City With Big Questions
Nashua isn’t a major city, but this quiet town in New Hampshire may now be ground zero for a larger debate about foreign influence, infrastructure security, and the true cost of global business. Thanks to Brian Entin’s excellent reporting for NewsNation and interviews with local officials and citizens, we’re finally asking the right questions.
Whether or not Nongfu Spring’s purchase turns out to be nefarious, one thing is clear: Americans are watching more closely now. And that awareness alone is a good first step.
Ed spent his childhood in the backwoods of Maine, where harsh winters taught him the value of survival skills. With a background in bushcraft and off-grid living, Ed has honed his expertise in fire-making, hunting, and wild foraging. He writes from personal experience, sharing practical tips and hands-on techniques to thrive in any outdoor environment. Whether it’s primitive camping or full-scale survival, Ed’s advice is grounded in real-life challenges.