Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party recently engaged in a bipartisan discussion at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). The event focused on potential risks posed by certain Chinese companies to U.S. national security.
During the event, moderated by AEI Senior Fellow Marc Thiessen, Moolenaar and Krishnamoorthi discussed concerns regarding several Chinese companies operating in the United States that could disrupt supply chains and steal American intellectual property.
In his opening remarks, Chairman Moolenaar emphasized what he described as a "loaded gun" threat. He stated, "Looking for a 'smoking gun' though is the wrong way to think about China-related risk. After all, a smoking gun means a shot has already been fired." He further added that demanding evidence before taking action puts policymakers in a reactive position, which has historically led to catastrophic consequences like Pearl Harbor and 9/11.
Moolenaar highlighted specific companies such as BGI Group, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC), and ZPMC. He argued for proactive measures against these entities due to their potential to be leveraged by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) under China's national security law.
He outlined three key steps: implementing barriers in strategic sectors to prevent malign PRC companies from undermining U.S. technology; cutting off access to U.S. technology and capital fueling PRC national champions; and coordinating with allies to secure supply chains, technology, and domestic markets.
"Going forward," Moolenaar said, "we need to be asking whether a given company through its technology or supply chain reach could provide the CCP with the ability to threaten our national or economic security interests."
The full recording of the event is available online.
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