WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, delivered opening remarks at a full committee hearing on strategic competition with the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The hearing assessed U.S. competitiveness beyond the Indo-Pacific region, with Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell as a witness.
Senator Risch began by acknowledging concerns regarding the elections in Venezuela and expressed his intention to address these further in another venue.
“Deputy Secretary Campbell, thank you for being here today,” Risch said. He highlighted China’s global ambitions and its strategic benefits from instability in Europe and the Middle East. “China’s support for fentanyl trafficking and its spy post in Cuba demonstrate a desire to target the United States and undermine our efforts to prioritize resources to compete with them.”
Risch criticized the administration’s stance on winning the competition with China, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region. He argued that “the balance of power in the region continues to move in China’s favor,” citing limited actions against China’s escalation against the Philippines at Second Thomas Shoal.
On AUKUS, Risch noted that “we have not realized the promise” of this partnership due to State Department exclusions of necessary technologies. He also evaluated transatlantic policies on China as dismal, especially concerning trade and Africa policy.
Risch emphasized China’s strengthening ties with adversaries like Russia, pointing out that “70% of machine tools and 90% of microelectronics used in Russian weapons come from China.” He criticized recent U.S. actions against Chinese microelectronics companies as inadequate.
Addressing Ukraine, Risch questioned involving China in peace processes: “Do you and the administration really believe China should have a say in European security affairs?”
He also mentioned failures to curb Chinese purchases of Iranian oil, leading Congress to pass new sanctions legislation. Despite these issues, he noted President Biden welcomed Xi Jinping to the United States without reciprocal commitments.
Risch criticized initiatives facilitating Chinese engagement on climate at state and local levels in the U.S., including an event at Berkeley which failed to report significant research funding from China.
Concluding his remarks, Risch called for bipartisan action against China’s malign influence: “It is time our government wake up to the real challenges China presents and start taking concrete actions.” He urged updates to foreign lobbying laws, reducing foreign influence in universities, punishing abuses against U.S. diplomats, advancing economic agendas with partners, and opposing China’s influence at international institutions like the IMF.
These remarks have been lightly edited for clarity. Witness testimony is available on foreign.senate.gov.
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