White House battles to remove China-focused measures from defense bill.

The Biden Administration’s Battle Against China’s Infiltration

The Biden administration is taking a stand against provisions in an annual defense spending bill that aim to prevent China from infiltrating American universities and supplying Mexican cartels with lethal fentanyl.

The White House recently announced its opposition to various national security provisions included in the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which is currently being debated in Congress.

Protecting American Universities

One provision in the bill would require the Pentagon to disclose information about foreign nationals involved in military-funded research programs at American universities. This is crucial as Chinese spies have been known to steal proprietary research from these institutions.

Uncovering Fentanyl Supply Chain

Another provision would order the secretary of defense to investigate whether Chinese government officials assisted or were aware of the transportation of fentanyl precursors to Mexican drug cartels.

According to the author of these provisions, the White House’s opposition is equivalent to surrendering to Beijing.

“The Chinese Communist Party is poisoning and killing nearly a hundred thousand Americans each year with ‘Made in China’ fentanyl while their spies infiltrate our universities and even high-level government laboratories,” said Rep. Jim Banks (R., Ind.) to the Washington Free Beacon.

Banks’s measures are part of a broader effort by congressional Republicans to combat China. They have been pushing for increased pressure on American universities that collaborate with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on sensitive research projects.

China has been a significant donor to American universities, providing over $426 million since 2011. However, concerns have been raised that Beijing is exploiting this relationship to steal research and spy on Americans.

Transparency in Research Projects

Under Banks’s transparency provision, the Pentagon would be required to publicly disclose the identities of all individuals working on government-funded projects, including their personal information such as date and place of birth, country of citizenship, and immigration status for foreign nationals.

The White House strongly opposes this measure, citing concerns about increased disclosure requirements and potential conflicts with nondiscrimination laws in certain states. They also worry that it could deter foreign scientists from collaborating with the Department of Defense.

Addressing the Fentanyl Crisis

Banks’s fentanyl measure, which aims to hold China accountable for pumping deadly drugs into America, has also faced opposition from the White House. They fear that acknowledging China’s involvement could strain diplomatic relations at a time when efforts are being made to repair them.

The U.S. ambassador to China recently claimed that the CCP is not responsible for America’s fentanyl crisis, despite evidence that the drug’s ingredients are primarily produced in China and trafficked by Mexican cartels.

The White House argues that any attempt to link China to the fentanyl crisis would hinder their ability to conduct foreign assistance and engagement in line with their foreign policy priorities.