WASHINGTON — Today, Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party Member Rep. Jim Banks introduced the Countering China’s Political Warfare Act, legislation to sanction any individual or groups that conduct political warfare on behalf of a foreign government against the United States.
The legislation also requires the Secretary of State to determine if the United Front Work Department (UFWD)—an overseas influence arm of the Chinese Communist Party—qualifies for sanctions. Read the bill text here.
Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.
“The United Front Work Department has targeted our universities, state and local lawmakers, business associations, and even Congress,” said Rep. Jim Banks. “This bill gives America the necessary tools to strike back against malign Communist Party influence on US soil.”
“The Chinese Communist Party has proven that it will spread disinformation and lie any way it can – from the oppression of Uyghurs to the origins of COVID-19, to it accessing the data of Americans who use TikTok,” said Senator Tom Cotton. “Any person or group who spread the Chinese Communists’ propaganda, like UFWD, should face sanctions.”
The Countering Chinese Propaganda Act would:
- Create a new sanction authority against state-backed political warfare networks.
- The Secretary of State must examine whether the United Front Work Department meets the criteria for sanctioning under this new authority.
Background:
- On December 2, 2020, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo took the historic step of imposing visa sanctions on individuals active in the UFWD.
- Chairman Xi has described the United Front as a “magic weapon” to help bring about “the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.”
- The United Front has led aggressive campaigns of subversion and espionage on U.S. college campuses through the Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA) and Chinese-language centers called Confucius Institutes. The United Front has also funded several think tanks in Washington D.C. and co-opted business leaders to squash criticism of China. Despite this information, over a hundred United Front organizations openly operate in the United States.
- The United Front manages China’s sister agreements with U.S. cities, including several cities in Indiana.
