Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi spoke with Jude Blanchette about U.S. policy towards China, the challenges posed by China's actions, and the need for bipartisan approaches to address these issues. The transcript was from a CSIS (Center for Strategic and International Studies) event hosted on Nov. 6, 2023.
"They want this committee not to be about a quarrel with the Chinese people, or Chinese-origin people, or Asian people, but with the CCP," said Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi.
According to the CSIS transcript, Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi shared his insights on the work of the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party. The committee was established earlier in 2023 to assess and address various risks associated with U.S.-China relations. Krishnamoorthi highlighted preventing military aggression in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait as important areas of focus. He underscored that working with allies is necessary for maintaining regional stability. He also discussed issues arising from blurring lines between civilian and military technologies in China and emphasized protecting American values and interests when faced with economic competition and human rights concerns.
Jude Blanchette voiced concern about hacking and IP theft prevalence, a worry shared by many Americans who fear their personal information falling into CCP hands. IP theft emerged as a major issue for business owners ranging from small to large enterprises, viewing it as harmful to their success. Human rights abuses related to slave labor in consumer goods production sold by companies like Temu and Shein were raised as they undercut local businesses while also posing ethical questions.
The conversation addressed growing concerns within the Asian American and Pacific Islander community due to escalating U.S.-China competition. Krishnamoorthi stressed that it's important to distinguish between addressing concerns about CCP actions without resorting bigotry against individuals of Asian descent. The committee aims to focus on the CCP, emphasizing the need to resist hate or bigotry against specific groups. The significance of responsible rhetoric to prevent legitimate concerns from becoming harmful legislation targeting people based on ethnicity was also underscored, a move that would play into CCP propaganda narratives.
