Chinese Billionaire Is Second-Biggest Foreign Owner of US Land

A Chinese national who made his fortune from online gaming has emerged as one of the most significant non-American holders of land in the US.

Chen Tianqiaoowns 198,000 acres (80,127 hectares) of Oregon timberland, making him the country’s 82nd-largest property owner, according to the Land Report’s latest ranking.

Chen Tianqiao

Photographer: Sanjit Das/Bloomberg

Chen, 50, acquired the acreage from Fidelity National Financial Ventures for $85 million in 2015. Oregon tax records last month disclosed the name of the beneficial owner as Shanda Asset Management, the same moniker as Chen’s Singapore-based holding group.

His Oregon property makes him one of the biggest ...