House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) announced plans for Congress to pass a comprehensive legislative package aimed at countering the Chinese communist regime before the end of the year. This move, according to Mr. Johnson, is crucial for maintaining global peace and addressing the multifaceted threats posed by China.
“China poses the greatest threat to global peace. Congress must keep our focus on countering China with every tool at our disposal,” Mr. Johnson declared during his first major foreign policy speech at the Hudson Institute on July 8.
Mr. Johnson outlined his commitment to ensuring the House votes on key bills that would equip the next administration to take immediate action against U.S. adversaries’ economies when it takes office in January. He emphasized the need to build a sanctions package targeting Chinese military firms that support Russia and Iran.
“The House will be voting on a series of bills to empower the next administration to hit our enemies’ economies on day one,” said Mr. Johnson. “We’ll build our sanctions package, punish the Chinese military firms that provide material support to Russia and Iran. We’re working on a piece of legislation to move this fall to do that very thing.”
The legislative priorities Mr. Johnson highlighted include:
- Restrictions on Outbound Investment to China: Aimed at limiting American financial involvement in Chinese markets that could bolster their strategic capabilities.
- The BIOSECURE Act: This bill, introduced by Rep. John Moolenaar (R-Mich.), seeks to protect Americans’ healthcare data by prohibiting federal contracts and financing for Chinese biotechnology firms. It targets prominent Chinese biotech firms such as Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI Group), MGI, Complete Genomics, WuXi AppTec, and WuXi Biologics.
- Ending Exploitation of Trade Loopholes: Mr. Johnson addressed concerns over Chinese fast fashion retailers, like Shein and Temu, exploiting the “de minimis” trade exemption. This loophole allows small packages valued at $800 or less to be shipped directly to customers without tariffs. The End China’s De Minimis Abuse Act, advanced by the Ways and Means Committee in April, aims to close this loophole.
Mr. Johnson expressed optimism for bipartisan support on these initiatives.
Additionally, Mr. Johnson committed to renewing the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in the next Congress to continue exposing CCP threats. Established in January 2023, the committee focuses on investigating and recommending policies on the CCP’s economic, technological, and security advancements.
Lawmakers have introduced multiple pieces of legislation targeting the Chinese regime, but many are still pending votes in the Senate and House. Among these is the Countering Communist China Act, introduced by Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.) in February, which addresses U.S. national security concerns across various sectors.
Mr. Johnson emphasized the interconnected threats posed by a “China-led axis” of regimes in Russia, Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, and Cuba, which he said are using their collective resources to challenge U.S. interests globally.
“They’re increasingly using their collective military, technological, and financial resources to empower one another and other various efforts to cut off our trade routes and steal our technology and harm our troops and bend our economy,” he said.
Condemning the expansionist efforts of this axis, Mr. Johnson warned that failure to counter these moves, particularly Russia’s conquests in Ukraine, could lead to a broader conflict involving the United States.
“In the lead up to World War Two, we understood the primary threat to come from a tyrant in Europe, but we were attacked by a tyrant in Asia, and we were forced into war in two theaters,” Mr. Johnson said. “If we don’t stop it there, it will come here.”
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- Speaker Johnson Calls Out CCP’s Forced Organ Harvesting From Falun Gong Practitioners, Tibetans (January 31, 2024)
Speaker Johnson’s initiative underscores the urgent need for a unified and decisive legislative response to counter the growing influence and aggression of the Chinese regime and its allies.
