April 22, 2021
3 mins read

Bill against Chinese threat gets senate node

The 21-1 panel vote sends The Strategic Competition Act to the floor for a full chamber vote. Senator Rand Paul cast the lone vote opposing the legislation…reports Asian Lite News

The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday passed sweeping legislation to push back on China on a number of issues, including human rights and its gross economic practices.

The 21-1 panel vote sends The Strategic Competition Act to the floor for a full chamber vote. Senator Rand Paul (Republican from Kentucky) cast the lone vote opposing the legislation, as reported by The Hill.

“There has been no shortage of discussion in recent years about the need to reimagine our nation’s competitive posture towards China. There has, however, been a lack of results — until today. With this overwhelming bipartisan vote, the Strategic Competition Act becomes the first of what we hope will be a cascade of legislative activity for our nation to finally meet the China challenge across every dimension of power, political, diplomatic, economic, innovation, military and even cultural,” said Senator Bob Menendez the Foreign Relations chair, according to The Hill.

President Joe Biden (www.instagram.comwhitehouse)

“From the beginning, I have said that any China legislation needs to be strong, actionable, and truly bipartisan. I believe the package we passed out of committee today meets those criteria,” added Senator Jim Risch (from Idaho), the committee’s top Republican.

The Hill further reported that the bill would implement a slew of investments, including USD 655 million in Foreign Military Financing funding for the Indo-Pacific region and $450 million for the Indo-Pacific Maritime Security Initiative. It also expands the powers of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, which analyzes international financial transactions in an effort to pick up on any national security risks.

Also read:Australia annuls BRI deal with China

The legislation also designates $10 million for the State Department to promote democracy in Hong Kong and includes several measures to boost the defence capabilities of Taiwan — of which, China claims full sovereignty of.As per The Hill, the legislation’s passage comes as the relationship between Washington and Beijing grows increasingly strained. The US has lambasted China over cyber-attacks and intellectual property theft, human rights abuses against the Uyghur Muslims in the Xinjiang Province and crackdowns on pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong.

While lawmakers touted the bipartisan nature of the vote Wednesday but maintained the bill alone is insufficient to significantly alter China’s aggressive behaviour.

“I don’t believe anyone would think that this legislation is going to change China’s march toward a global hegemony of autocracy and repression,” said Senator Mitt Romney (Republican from Utah), adding “I would suggest we have a lot more work to do.”

The bill would mandate forcing Beijing to honour a 2016 ruling by an international tribunal that artificial islands China had built near the Philippine coastline, including at Mischief Reef, violated Manila’s sovereign rights.

Also read:The new US strategy to edge out China

Asked about the bipartisan legislation, State Department spokesman Ned Price earlier declined to comment specifically on the Menendez-Risch bill, but added: “We have spoken of competition with China as a defining challenge for this administration, that we will enjoy the greatest amount of success when we work hand in hand with Congress, and when our proposals, find support on both sides of the aisle.”

“We have been heartened that there is a good deal of bipartisan agreement when it comes to how we should and could approach the government in Beijing,” he said.

Under the former President Donald Trump’s administration, ties between the two countries had deteriorated over issues such as human rights violations in Xinjiang, encroachment on the special status of Hong Kong, accusations of unfair trade practices by Beijing, lack of transparency concerning the pandemic and China’s military aggression in various parts of the world.

Also read:Canada busts int’l drug racket with links to India, US

Previous Story

Vanita Gupta confirmed as Associate Attorney-General

Next Story

Beware of Summer Surge in Covid cases

Latest from -Top News

Multi-alignment, upgraded

With US ties strained and China tense, New Delhi taps Europe’s harder edge for co-development, clean tech and strategic autonomy, writes Manoj Menon India is recalibrating its great-power hedging as frictions with

India-EU Trade Deal Breakthrough Soon?

Negotiators report increased momentum in discussions, which have been given a boost from US President Donald Trump’s tariff offensive…reports Asian Lite News India and the European Union aim to finalise a trade

Europe Seeks Peace in Gaza

European countries condemn Israeli interception of Gaza-bound flotilla, demand safety of citizens…reports Asian Lite News Israel’s interception of an international flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza has sparked condemnation across Europe, with

GAZA: Egypt to Host Peace Talks

Egypt hopes the discussions will help “end the war and the suffering of the brotherly Palestinian people, which has continued for two consecutive years…reports Asian Lite News Egypt will host Israeli and

‘My Injuries Made Me’

During his four-year battle with injury, the incumbent fast bowling spearhead made occasional appearances but couldn’t bear the workload and demands of red-ball cricket….reports Asian Lite News England tearaway Jofra Archer believes
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Iraq, US agree to reduce combat units

The two sides agreed to reduce the combat units from

Biden makes 11 key nominations, Rahul Gupta to lead drug control policy

The son of an Indian diplomat, Rahul was born in