Rep. Yvette Herrell, (R-NM), said the Countering Communist China Act is necessary to stop China from continuing to take advantage of the United States.
“For too long, Communist China has taken advantage of the United States by weakening us economically, engaged in espionage and influence peddling in our universities and research institutions," Herrell said in a statement provided to State Newswire, "and viciously oppressed Uyghurs, dissidents, and advocates for democracy.”
“We must counter China’s dangerous behavior by bringing home our industries and supply chains, banning China’s government from involvement in our educational institutions, and standing up for the human rights which China tramples every day," Herrell said.
Herrell is a cosponsor of H.R. 4792, the Countering Communist China Act introduced July 29, 2021, which recognizes China and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) as the United States' top national security threat and aims "(T)o counter the malign influence and theft perpetuated by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)," according to the bill summary.
“It is vital to recognize the threat that China poses to the security and prosperity of the United States, and reverse decades of leniency toward the Chinese Communist Party which has allowed them to harm so many people,” Herrell said in the statement. “This legislation is full of important provisions, including protecting American technology from theft, stopping US dollars from going to businesses in China tied to the Chinese military, investigating the true origins of COVID-19, and ensuring U.S. research dollars aren’t being sent to China, which I have also introduced as a standalone bill.”
The legislation would invest in supply chain security, especially as it relates to medical and pharmaceutical items and national security, the text of the bill states. The act would protect American universities, laboratories and research institutions from CCP influence and theft by restricting foreign funding of educational institutions and limiting partnerships with the People's Republic of China, according to the bill's authors. The act would also prohibit undermining the U.S.'s policy regarding Taiwan and address the genocide in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
“China and America’s relations can improve once the Communist Party stops oppressing its people, destroying religious freedom, committing genocide, stealing American secrets, and bullying its neighbors,” Herrell said in her statement.
Global reliance on Chinese manufacturing was facilitated by China's acceptance into the World Trade Organization in 2001. China leads the world in manufacturing, accounting for almost 30% of all manufacturing output, The American Prospect reported in February; the U.S. accounts for 16.8% of the world's manufacturing output. America's supply chain's reliance on China became clear when COVID-19-related lockdowns in China and elsewhere created manufacturing and supply-chain disruptions.
Republican members of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee recently released a report alleging the Chinese government attempted to recruit informants within the Federal Reserve to trade information for money and other benefits, CNBC reported. The Republicans' report did not determine that China's overtures were successful, CNBC reports.
A December report from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) found that "dozens" of American universities have ties with Chinese universities that conduct research on behalf of China's military, including China's nuclear weapons program, NBC reported. According to the FDD, Beijing uses the collaborations to acquire technology and information from U.S. research institutions to benefit and strengthen its growing military.
“Americans already know that China is attempting to supplant the U.S. as the world’s superpower," Herrell stated. "Americans also understand it is vital for our children and grandchildren that we confront China today to ensure that we remain free and prosperous for future generations.”
