Biden's China Policy Fails: GOP Bill to Restore Trump-Era Sanctions

Top Republicans in the House of Representatives are spearheading a bill to restore sanctions on a Chinese entity linked to the persecution of Uyghur Muslims, criticizing the Biden administration for lifting them last year.

Washington, D.C. - Top House Republicans are leading a charge to reinstate sanctions on a Chinese entity implicated in the persecution of Uyghurs, a move that has reignited criticism of the Biden administration's handling of relations with China. The legislation, introduced by Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), aims to restore sanctions imposed by the Trump administration on the Ministry of Public Security's (MPS) Institute of Forensic Science of China.

Biden's China Policy Fails: GOP Bill to Restore Trump-Era Sanctions

Ogles, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, denounced China's "long and sordid history of human rights abuses" and accused President Biden of "rewarding a Communist Chinese company despite their genocidal crimes." He, along with co-sponsors Reps. John Moolenaar (R-Mich.) and Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), emphasized the need for Congress to take action in the absence of strong leadership from the executive branch.

Stefanik, the House GOP Conference Chairwoman, stressed that the bill would "return us to President Trump's peace through strength strategy" and ensure that U.S. technology does not contribute to China's human rights abuses. The legislation has garnered support from conservative groups like Heritage Action and America First Policy Institute, and has attracted 10 additional House GOP co-sponsors.

Biden's China Policy Fails: GOP Bill to Restore Trump-Era Sanctions

The sanctions were initially imposed in May 2020 by the Trump administration, which accused the MPS Institute of Forensic Science of complicity in human rights violations committed in China's mass detention and surveillance campaign against Uyghur and other Muslim minorities in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region (XUAR). However, the Biden administration lifted the sanctions in November 2023 in an effort to secure China's cooperation in combating the flow of synthetic drugs and fentanyl precursors into the U.S.

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller justified the decision at the time, stating that the sanctions hindered cooperation on drug trafficking. However, Republicans and human rights groups have condemned the move, arguing that it sends a dangerous signal and undermines efforts to hold China accountable for its actions.

Biden's China Policy Fails: GOP Bill to Restore Trump-Era Sanctions

The bill's introduction comes amidst growing concerns over China's increasing aggression towards the U.S. and its allies. Top officials have raised alarms about China's military buildup, cyberattacks, and economic coercion, and the Biden administration has vowed to confront China's "malign behavior."

The sanctions restoration bill reflects a bipartisan consensus in Congress on the need to address China's human rights abuses and its growing influence. Critics have accused the Biden administration of being too soft on China and failing to adequately defend American interests and values.

Biden's China Policy Fails: GOP Bill to Restore Trump-Era Sanctions

The bill's fate remains uncertain, as it faces potential opposition from Democrats. However, its introduction underscores the growing frustration among lawmakers with the Biden administration's China strategy and the need for a more robust approach to countering China's authoritarian ambitions.