Lawmakers Ask Leadership to Include Export Control, Sanctions Provisions in Final China Bill
The top Democrats on the Congressional-Executive Commission on China urged House and Senate leadership to include several sanctions and export control-related provisions (see 2202030062) in the final version of Congress’ China competition bill. As leadership begins negotiations on legislation to reconcile the versions passed in the House and Senate (see 2203210064), they should make sure not to omit “robust provisions on human rights principles,” said CECC Chair Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Co-Chair Rep. James McGovern, D-Mass.
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The final bill should specifically extend U.S. export restrictions over certain munitions shipments to Hong Kong and mandate new sanctions on Chinese officials involved in forced sterilizations and forced abortions in Xinjiang, the lawmakers said in a March 28 letter to congressional leadership. The bill should also include a provision that would require U.S. agencies to review whether export restrictions are properly capturing items used for surveillance or repression.
“We ask that you maintain robust language and policy initiatives signaling that the protection and advance of democratic freedoms, human rights and the rule of law cannot be unshackled from economic cooperation and security interests,” Merkley and McGovern said. “[China’s] vast definition of national security, export of mass surveillance technologies, efforts to censor a free press and religious freedom, and efforts to redefine the global world order require the integration of human rights obligations and the protection of global governance standards into U.S. national security strategies.”