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A gaggle of 14 US lawmakers have launched a invoice within the Congress which calls for the federal government to establish, analyse and fight alleged efforts made by the Chinese authorities to exploit the Covid-19 pandemic for nationalistic features.
Introduced by Congressman Jared Golden and co-sponsored by 13 different congressmen, the ‘Preventing China from Exploiting Covid-19 Act’ would mandate the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to examine the methods through which the Chinese authorities intends to seize on the Covid-19 pandemic to promote its pursuits on the nationwide stage and consider the dangers to the United States.
It additionally asks the DNI to present policymakers with info they want to tackle and counter Chinese actions, when needed, and report its findings to the Congress.
“Since Covid-19 began, there is evidence that China is at work using the pandemic crisis against Americans through cyber-theft and the spread of misinformation,” mentioned Golden.
“We need to fully understand these threats and respond to them. We’re introducing the ‘Preventing China from Exploiting Covid-19 Act’ to gather and analyse important intelligence our country needs to protect American people and businesses,” Golden mentioned.
The invoice requires the DNI — in coordination with the Secretaries of Defense, State, and Homeland Security — to put together an evaluation of the alternative ways through which the Chinese authorities has exploited or might exploit the pandemic, which originated in China, so as to advance China’s pursuits and to undermine the pursuits of the United States, its allies, and the rule-based worldwide order.
The evaluation have to be supplied to Congress inside 90 days and posted in unclassified type on the DNI’s web site.
“As we fight to save American lives and rebuild our economy, no country should be allowed to exploit the pandemic for its own advantage, yet reports indicate that China has done exactly that,” mentioned Congressman Torres Small, a co-sponsor of the invoice.
“This is a time when countries should be coming together to fight the spread of Covid-19, not exploiting breakdowns in supply chains or a shortage of critical equipment like masks, gloves and gowns in order to advance their own national security interests. This is unacceptable, and the United States must be able to hold China accountable if it continues,” he mentioned.
Among others, the laws requires the DNI to examine, analyse, and report on the methods used by the Chinese authorities to hinder or retaliate towards nations which have sought a full inquiry into China’s position within the emergence and unfold of Covid-19, and the Chinese authorities’s motivations for such efforts.
It seeks investigation into the actions undertaken by the Chinese authorities, like cyber-theft, supposed to purchase info and mental property associated to Covid-19 testing, remedy, and vaccines.
The invoice additionally asks the DNI to probe the way through which the Chinese authorities seeks to advance its overseas coverage pursuits by offering financial assist or medical tools to nations adversely affected by Covid-19, and the diploma to which this assist makes recipient nations extra probably to undertake positions beneficial to China and detrimental to the United States.
The methods through which the Chinese authorities is utilizing, or could also be planning to use, the worldwide disruption and distraction related to Covid-19 as a possibility to extra aggressively pursue longstanding aims, together with with respect to Hong Kong, Taiwan, Xinjiang, and territorial disputes, is one other topic being identified by the Congressmen.
Relations between Washington and Beijing have spiralled downward because the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. US President Donald Trump has questioned the Asian powerhouse’s handing of Covid-19.
The two nations have additionally sparred over China imposing a brand new nationwide safety legislation in Hong Kong, restrictions on American journalists, remedy of Uyghurs Muslims and safety measures in Tibet.
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