‘Predatory’ Chinese economic tactics have eroded US military might, Senate hears in push for new national security act
Fearing a diminishing US leadership role in Asia, US lawmakers blamed Chinese economic practices and called for a security strategy to counter ‘anticompetitive behaviour’ by foreign countries, among other things
US lawmakers used the threat of China’s increasing military acumen to push for the passage of a new national security act and other legislation meant to boost American leadership in Asia on Wednesday, as they face Beijing’s growing geopolitical influence and technological competitiveness.
A panel of experts called before a Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee chaired by Todd Young, a Republican, and Jeff Merkley, a Democrat, endorsed the National Economic Security Strategy Act of 2018 introduced to Congress last month.
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“America’s national security rests largely on an economic foundation and … predatory economic practices by China and others have undermined that foundation for years,” Young said in the hearing Wednesday in Washington.
“If left unaddressed, these predatory practices will further endanger not only the prosperity of Americans but also our security. Through a variety of means including outright and systematic theft, China’s predatory practices have eroded and continue to erode our military’s technological superiority.”
The hearing, which called chairman of the US-China Economic and Security Commission Michael Wessel as a witness, could lead to further action against China as the US government mulls multiple punitive measures in the areas of trade, investment and national security.
Potential moves include US tariffs on as much as US$150 billion worth of annual imports from China in an effort to coerce Beijing into giving US companies easier access to its markets, a threat that China has responded to by targeting US$50 billion worth of American products.