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US Senate Democrats announce US$350 billion plan to confront China
- Democrats say the bill intends to strengthen the US medical supply chain, support new technologies like 5G and counter China’s ‘predatory economic behaviour’
- Senate Republicans released sprawling legislation to confront China in July
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US Senate Democrats announced a US$350 billion plan on Thursday to confront China, a glaring signal from Washington that no matter who wins the upcoming presidential election in November, there likely will be immense bipartisan pressure from Congress to maintain a tough stance against Beijing.
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The bill, called the America LEADS Act, comes as US-China relations spiral to their lowest point in years, with both parties in rare agreement that China under leader Xi Jinping has become a threat to global stability and US interests around the world.
Senate Republicans released their own sprawling legislation to confront China in July.
In a summary released on Thursday, the Democrats said their bill intends to strengthen the US medical supply chain, support new technologies like 5G and artificial intelligence, and counter China’s “predatory economic behaviour” including intellectual property theft, dumping, and currency manipulation.
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The bill also includes transparency requirements to target China’s “education and influence campaigns” in the US, the Democrats said.
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