U.S. Sens. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) introduced the True Reciprocity Act of 2023, which aims to identify and address areas in which the U.S.-China relationship is imbalanced. The bill would direct the Biden administration to provide a report to Congress detailing the lack of reciprocity in sectors including diplomacy, trade, and media and formulate a strategy to address the imbalances.
Sullivan said that in the U.S., Chinese businesses, organizations, and citizens are allowed to operate "largely unencumbered," but their American counterparts in China face "significant restrictions and censorship," according to a press release. He said U.S. government officials have raised this issue with Chinese officials, who have promised to level the playing field. However, Sullivan said that the Chinese government has not taken any steps to address the lack of reciprocity, and instead has continued to make the imbalance even worse, resulting in "an unacceptable, unreciprocated level of CCP access and influence in the U.S."
Sullivan called reciprocity a "very basic concept" and said its absence puts the U.S. at a significant disadvantage. He said Congress must act to "establish the principle of reciprocity," which will help protect American citizens and businesses. He asked his colleagues to join him and Sen. Van Hollen in pursuing a U.S.-China relationship defined by "reciprocity and fairness."
Van Hollen said the Chinese government has imposed a "double standard" on the U.S., with Chinese organizations taking advantage of the "openness and transparency" of the U.S. but refusing to extend similar privileges to American diplomats, businesses, and other organizations, according to the press release. He said the U.S. must demand that China "extend reciprocal access to American entities" if they expect their officials and organizations to maintain their access and benefits in the U.S. Van Hollen said the True Reciprocity Act of 2023 will "help enforce the principle of equal treatment by identifying the key sectors that lack reciprocity and developing a coherent strategy for closing those gaps."
The bill defines reciprocity as "the mutual and equitable exchange of privileges between governments, countries, businesses, or individuals."
