House Republicans are gearing up to introduce what they assert is the “strongest” anti-Chinese government legislation in American history on Thursday.
If approved, the bill would significantly limit trade with China in sectors vital to national security, such as telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, and military technology.
In terms of culture, the bill would create channels to advocate for U.S.-supported values and viewpoints that are critical of the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) within China itself.
Kevin Hern, Chairman of the Republican Study Committee (RSC) from Oklahoma, is spearheading the Countering Communist China Act, which is backed by his 175-member group.
“We must treat the CCP like the threat they are and use every tool at our disposal to combat their influence in our schools and our government,” Hern told Fox News Digital.
“This bill targets the CCP in a comprehensive and vigorous way, putting American safety and economic security first. It’s the strongest legislation against the CCP ever introduced to Congress, and for good reason,” he added.
Representative Joe Wilson, Republican from South Carolina and chairman of the RSC’s National Security and Foreign Policy Task Force, stated to Fox News Digital, “The CCP dictatorship in China run by Xi Jinping threatens global security, endangers our allies and is destroying the future of the people of China.”
The legislation aims to limit investments in Chinese technology firms abroad and impose trade restrictions on companies supported by Beijing involved in military technology and surveillance.
Additionally, the bill would advocate for increased domestic production in supply chains related to medicine and essential minerals, sectors currently dominated by China.
The proposed bill wouldn’t completely cut off trade between the U.S. and China. It would exclude trade in non-national security sectors, like agricultural products and toys, from the proposed restrictions.
Hern’s extensive legislation also targets the fentanyl crisis by imposing sanctions on Chinese officials and entities connected to the deadly drug’s international distribution into the U.S. It also proposes granting U.S. citizens the ability to sue Chinese government officials following the fentanyl-related death of a family member.
In addition to the limitations, the bill aims to advocate for pro-democracy perspectives among both individuals in China and the Chinese-speaking diaspora.
Relations between the United States and China, particularly concerning trade, have been strained due to increasing geopolitical tensions.
These tensions largely result from Beijing’s aggression in the South China Sea, the complex relationships between both nations and Taiwan, and longstanding accusations of intellectual property theft by entities supported by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
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