Cardin Unveils Major China Bill for Next Congress to Weigh
In one of his last moves as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, retiring Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., introduced a wide-ranging China bill Dec. 11 that contains several sanctions, foreign investment and trade provisions.
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Cardin told reporters Dec. 12 that while he does not expect the legislation to pass this year, he hopes the next Congress will consider the proposal, which he called a “bipartisan effort.” Although Cardin won’t be around to push for the bill, he noted that many remaining lawmakers have a strong interest in China, as does Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., President-elect Donald Trump's pick to be secretary of state (see 2411120031).
"There's a lot of interest in China," Cardin said. "I don't think you have to worry about interest in China. Just about every member of the Senate understands China and understands the need to do things."
The Realizing Economic and Strategic Objectives while Leading with Values and Engagement (RESOLVE) Act would reauthorize the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act for another five years. The 2020 law, which expires in 2025, authorizes sanctions against entities and people responsible for human rights violations against the Uyghur minority ethnic group in China's Xinjiang region. Cardin's bill would amend the law to extend sanctions to systemic rape, coercive abortion, forced sterilization and involuntary contraceptive implantation.
The 328-page bill also would direct the State and Treasury departments to create a task force to identify entities that could be sanctioned if China tries to gain control of Taiwan. Another provision would authorize sanctions on Chinese persons who engage in certain activities in the South China Sea and East China Sea, such as actions that threaten "peace, security or stability." Foreign persons who support or deal with Chinese military and intelligence facilities in Cuba also could face sanctions.
The bill also would sanction foreign agencies involved in opioid trafficking, call for better enforcement of United Nations sanctions against North Korea and require annual updates on the work of the EU-U.S. Trade and Technology Council.
Another provision would direct the executive branch to help allies create or improve mechanisms to screen foreign investment for national security risks. Such assistance would help foreign partners guard against China’s “predatory economic practices,” a committee press release says.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking member Jim Risch, R-Idaho, and 10 other Republican senators introduced their own major China bill in September (see 2409190064). Cardin had hoped to pass a compromise bill this year but never announced an agreement (see 2408200014).
In other comments to reporters, Cardin said the Biden administration is considering imposing additional sanctions on the Republic of Georgia for suppressing dissent. Although a Georgia sanctions bill offered by Risch and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., did not make it into the FY 2025 National Defense Authorization Act as hoped (see 2411200030), it still could pass this year as part of an upcoming continuing resolution or under unanimous consent rules, Cardin explained.
Cardin said it’s too early to tell whether the toppling of Syria’s Assad regime warrants the lifting of sanctions on that country. He believes the new government will have to show it respects human rights and doesn’t harbor terrorist organizations.
After 18 years in the Senate and 58 years total in elected office, Cardin said he plans to remain involved in foreign policy in some capacity after his political career officially ends Jan. 3 at noon.