House Republicans are taking a new step in their effort to investigate a variety of “threats” from the Chinese government.
During his weekly press conference on Thursday, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (D-Calif.) revealed that he would establish a new committee designed to examine a “wide range of China-related issues.”
“We cannot wait any longer. The stakes are too high to sit idly by. Which is why today, I’m announcing the Republican-led China Task Force,” McCarthy said.
He continued, “I invite the Democrats to join with us. There was one moment in time they said yes, a few months ago they said no. I would say there was no more important time now to join with us together to work as one nation to face these challenges.”
Watch the video below:
.@GOPLeader announces Republican-led China Task Force: "They will be looking at a wide range of China related issues…"
— CSPAN (@cspan) May 7, 2020
Full video here: https://t.co/6CYV4j0Aww pic.twitter.com/Ez4Qh6Ltt4
McCarthy laid out the scope of what the panel will be examining:
“They will be looking at a wide range of China-related issues including, influence operations targeting the U.S. including our universities, think tanks, and media outlets, economic threats to our government and our allies, efforts to gain the technologically advantage and role in the origin and spread of COVID-19.”
In recent weeks, Republican lawmakers and President Donald Trump have ramped up their rhetoric against China. Many have pointed to reports alleging that the Chinese government hid information in the early days of the coronavirus outbreak that could have stopped the virus from spreading around the world.
The Department of Homeland Security released a report last week, dated May 1, that stated that China’s government “intentionally concealed the severity” of the outbreak in order to stockpile medical supplies.
As Republicans have increasingly blamed China for the spread of the virus, lawmakers have called for some kind of retribution, in the form of reparations or slashing the amount of debt the U.S. owes China.
Additionally, Republican lawmakers have sought information on ties between U.S. universities and the Chinese government.
