US Congress, legislative measures with object China

2024-09-09 22:20:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Ways to curb China's influence and power through its biotech companies, drones and electric vehicles will dominate the House's first week of business after the summer recess. Lawmakers are expected to take a series of measures aimed at Beijing.

Washington sees Beijing as its biggest geopolitical rival, and the legislation is claimed to ensure the United States prevails in the competition. Many of the bills slated for a vote this week appear to have the support of both Republicans and Democrats.

The legislation creates the opportunity to "take meaningful steps to counter the Chinese Communist Party's military, economic and ideological threat," said Republican lawmaker John Moolenaar, chairman of the House Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. "The goal of both parties is for us to win this race."

Human rights groups worry about the impact, warning against rhetoric that harms the Asian-American community," said Christine Chen, executive director of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans Vote.

The Chinese embassy in Washington said the new bills fueled tensions as they were deliberately being sent for approval in an election year. If passed, the bills "will cause serious interference in China-US relations and mutually beneficial cooperation. This will inevitably damage the interests, image and credibility of the United States itself," spokesman Liu Pengyu said in a statement. .

If approved, the bills must also be approved by the Senate. Here's a look at the key legislation:

A bill seeks to bar a group of five biotech companies with Chinese ties from working with organizations that receive federal funding.

US biotech companies have said the law would disrupt their partnerships with Chinese contractors, resulting in delays in clinical trials for new drugs and driving up costs.

Supporters say the legislation is needed to reduce the country's dependence on China for medical supplies.

Ohio Republican lawmaker Brad Wenstrup, one of the bill's co-authors, said it is the "first step" in protecting Americans' data.

Banning Chinese drones

Another bill would declare the Chinese DJI drones that dominate the global market an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States.

This bill will also protect Americans' data, but also the country's vital infrastructure, said Republican lawmaker Elise Stefanik, who drafted the bill.

Chinese firm DJI says they offer the option for users of their drones to decide whether they want to share data such as drone flight areas, photos and recorded videos with the company. If this is not allowed by users, then the firm would have no data to provide to governments when requested by them.

DJI also denied accusations that it is a Chinese military firm and that it has helped persecute members of China's Muslim ethnic minority.

Adam Bry, co-founder of major US drone maker Skydio, told a congressional committee in June about the loss of business to China. "The Chinese government has tried to control the drone industry, funding domestic production and targeting competitors in the United States and the West, tipping the race in China's favor."

Protection of intellectual property

One challenge is expected to be trying to revive a program under former President Donald Trump, described as a way to stop Chinese efforts to steal intellectual property and spy on industries.

The bill would oblige the Justice Department to curb Beijing's spying on US intellectual property and academic institutions.

That Trump-era bill, dubbed the China Initiative, ended up failing to pass in 2022 after concerns were raised that it encouraged racial and ethnic profiling.

"Our colleagues in the Republican Party tried to bring back this failed program because they wanted to look like they were fixing the problems. But in reality, they were only inciting fear and hatred," several Democratic lawmakers said in a statement in March, when they opposed another effort to restart the program.

Restriction on farm sales

Another bill, which says it would protect US farmland from foreign adversaries, has raised concerns about discrimination.

The bill would mandate reporting of land sales involving citizens from China, North Korea, Russia and Iran.

"Food security is national security, and for too long, the federal government has allowed the Chinese Communist Party to jeopardize our security by turning a blind eye to the Chinese's increasing purchases of American farmland," said Republican lawmaker Dan Newhouse, who introduced the bill.

The National Farm Law Center estimates that 24 US states prohibit or restrict undocumented aliens and foreign businesses or governments from purchasing private farmland. Debate over the issue arose after a Chinese billionaire bought more than 130,000 acres near an Air Force base in Texas and another Chinese company sought to build a corn plant near an Air Force base in North Dakota./ Voa