Moran: China is our greatest foreign threat to democracy, peace and prosperity
As Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping signed an agreement to strengthen their alliance, U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence – spoke on the Senate Floor to warn against China’s threat to American democracy, peace and prosperity.
“The Chinese Communist Party led by Xi Jinping, the most powerful leader of the CCP since Chairman Mao, is on a determined, calculated mission to overtake the United States in fields that will shape the 21st century,” said Sen. Moran. “Beijing is intent that, rather than the United States of America influencing world events in a way that favors and bends towards our principles of a free and open world, they bend towards China’s authoritarian model.”
Sen. Moran outlined key areas the U.S. must prioritize and strengthen to protect national security:
- Ensure our military has the resources it needs to deter China and its partners
- Vigilance in protecting the southern border
- Prioritize U.S. manufacturing
- Educate a technically skilled workforce
- Produce critical food, tech, energy and medicine in the U.S.
- Maintain a strong U.S. economy through trade
- Increase support for allies and partners in the INDO-PACIFIC
Remarks as prepared:
“This month, during this year’s first open hearing for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, national security and military leaders gave a worldwide threat assessment of our country and our way of life.
“They described threats to our homeland, to our key allies, to trading routes, to data privacy, and to our infrastructure, including crucial space assets.
“There was a common theme in the concerns we heard from our military and national security leaders, but also from what I have heard across Kansas and the country.
“The People’s Republic of China is our greatest foreign threat to democracy, peace and prosperity.
“At no time in my life have I been more concerned about the enormity of the challenges facing this country.
“The Chinese Communist Party led by Xi Jinping, the most powerful leader of the CCP since Chairman Mao, is on a determined, calculated mission to overtake the United States in fields that will shape the 21st century. Beijing is intent that, rather than the United States of America influencing world events in a way that favors and bends towards our principles of a free and open world, they bend towards China’s authoritarian model.
“China, and its supporters, would move away from the principles that have advanced global prosperity– and towards the basic principle that underwrites autocratic authority where the weaker are destined to be ruled by the stronger.
“We have seen this play out with China’s political, economic, and direct provision of non-lethal support to Russia as Russia wages an unprovoked war on Ukraine.
“China operates the world’s most advanced techno-surveillance state that consolidates power by monitoring, controlling, and subjugating their people. And they are engaged in an ambitious plan to export this model and the means of accomplishing it beyond their border.
“They want media, big Tech, sports teams, and business to toe the CCP line, to be ignorant of – or at least be silent – on the gross violations of basic human decency that occurred and occur in Xinjiang province, Hong Kong, and elsewhere in their response to COVID.
“The CCP pursues a world, including America, under the thumb of their power.
“In a speech in April 2020, Xi noted his intentions to increase global supply chain dependencies on China, with an aim of controlling key supply chains and being able to then use those supply chain dependencies to threaten and cut off foreign countries during a crisis.
“As of the latest Worldwide Threat Assessment, China produces 40% of the world’s key vaccines and medicinal ingredients, and by 2025 is on track to control 65% of the important lithium-ion battery market – used in phones and cars – and fabrication of almost 1 in 5 semiconductors in the world.
“They don’t want the twenty-first century to be another American-led century. They want it to be a century that witnesses the replacement of America leadership with leadership of the Chinese Communist Party.
“Two-thirds of global trade flows by ocean through the region around the South Pacific –what the Department of Defense calls the INDO-PACIFIC. The goods that Americans export, and the imports that they depend on require safe and reliable trade.
“For decades the United States Military have kept the oceans and airways safe and secure. By those means Americans have kept the global commons safe to the benefit of our own peace and prosperity.
“When America is militarily strong and our sovereignty secure, we can shape and influence the terms of international commerce. The way we do business is the standard, and that reflects our principles and leaves our fingerprints on the world.
“Maintaining a strong U.S. economy requires trade agreements with partners who adhere to agreed-upon rules ranging from market access to the protection of intellectual property. Our failure to participate in such agreements or update them to meet the realities of the 21st century opens the door to Chinese influence.
“It is to our benefit and that of our trading partners to tie more of the world to the US and its economy and reap the benefits of vibrant international trade.
“A stable Europe in which we coordinate closely with our partners on military and economic challenges is necessary to thwart China’s rising influence.
“America remains a coalescing force in Europe, and our contributions have been essential to supporting Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s aggression.
“With our continued assistance and increasing European leadership and resources Ukraine will be able to push back Russian forces and preserve its sovereignty.
“Our commitment to NATO remains resolute and any threat to its territory will be met decisively.
“Our intelligence community assesses it will take years for Russia to rebuild its conventional military capabilities. NATO allies must use this window to strengthen their defenses and assume more responsibility for their security as we necessarily increase support for allies and partners in the INDO-PACIFIC.
“Yet we cannot ignore the Russian threat that remains. Russia possesses a massive nuclear arsenal and Moscow has significant cyber, antisatellite, and underwater capabilities.
“Strikingly, China views Russia as an essential partner in the struggle against democratic values.
“As I speak now, President Xi is in Moscow meeting with President Putin, strengthening the relationship in pursuit of offering an alternative to American leadership.
“The threats to American freedom, security and prosperity are not all from foreign militaries.
“We also require vigilance at our border, all states are border states when we fail to enforce this nation’s geographic sovereignty. There is no nation without borders. And perhaps there is no greater tragic effect of our current open border policy than the fentanyl and other drugs – sent from China to Mexico – coming across the borders.
“We also must produce and manufacture goods in the United States. The United States cannot be reliant on our adversaries for critical supplies, medicine, food, technology or energy.
“We have to learn from our earlier mistakes discovered during the COVID pandemic. This includes prioritizing American manufacturing, and educating a technically skilled workforce – and that is why we must fully implement the CHIPS and Science Act that was signed into law last year.
“A democratically and economically stronger America will be a more appealing America. It is not enough to enlist and maintain the support of wealthy democracies in our vision of a free and open world. Our diplomats must compete to convince countries that have grown skeptical of American leadership that we have not lost our way. As former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has written… “we must better communicate the good that we do.” This includes our generosity to countries after natural disasters and our support in fighting global hunger.
“We have many challenges in our nation, but if we can have the eyes to see the thread that runs through many of them, we will recognize that we have a determined adversary in the Chinese Communist Party who has been waging this new Cold War.
“Our domestic disagreements run deep. But the myriad challenges that we face from abroad should help us see that we need to work together to urgently address the threats we face.
“We have a great inheritance. We live in a nation founded on the principles of human equality. We understand basic rights come from God and not government but that the government is instituted by the people to secure and preserve those rights.
“When America is strong and secure, we ensure Americans are free and prosperous.
“I will remain committed to this effort and have a renewed determination to work with any and all of my colleagues to steward this privilege and responsibility we have been given by the people of our states, so that this century remains an American century with liberty and human well-being secured around the globe.”
Source: Moran Senate
