Finland has blocked 14 property transactions, including ten linked to a Chinese corporate network, over concerns that the acquisitions could threaten national security, yle reports.
Finnish Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen said the properties were located in areas considered important for national defence, security of supply, critical infrastructure, and military logistics.
According to Häkkänen, authorities found no clear business justification for the purchases and suspected there were “dubious purposes” behind the acquisition attempts. He said the locations of the properties made them sensitive from a national security perspective.
The blocked properties were located in several parts of Finland, including Asikkala, Hyrynsalmi, Imatra, Laukaa, Pöytyä, Rautjärvi, and Rovaniemi.
Häkkänen said the same Chinese-linked network had previously attempted to purchase security-sensitive properties in Finland, but described the latest case as a broader effort than earlier attempts.
The Defence Ministry blocked the transactions on 5 June. The rejected purchases also involved citizens or companies from Ukraine, Turkey, and India.
According to Häkkänen, this is the first time Finnish authorities have identified a coordinated attempt by Chinese operators to acquire multiple properties in locations considered critical to national security.
