Gardner concerned about China’s abuse of U.S. export control regime

U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO) is among the 10 senators concerned about potential abuse by China of the United States’ export control regime.

“We believe it is critical that the United States take appropriate measures to ensure China does not abuse Hong Kong’s special status under U.S. law to steal or otherwise acquire critical or sensitive U.S. equipment and technologies in support of its strategic objectives or to infringe on the rights of people in Mainland China, Hong Kong, and elsewhere,” Sen. Gardner and his colleagues wrote in a Sept. 10 letter sent to U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Among the lawmakers who joined Sen. Gardner in signing the bipartisan letter were U.S. Sens. Jim Risch (R-ID) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ).

Sen. Gardner and his colleagues requested an assessment of the situation by Oct. 1 and asked the Secretaries if the current export controls are good enough to prevent the diversion of sensitive technologies to China, and whether they can prevent the inappropriate supply of crowd control equipment to Hong Kong’s police force.

“China is on a drive to displace its rivals and become the global leader in a number of strategic technologies,” such as artificial intelligence, tools of mass surveillance, and advanced robotics, that the country is using to bolster its industries, advance its military capabilities, and hamper the liberties of its citizens, the senators wrote.

Sen. Gardner and the lawmakers also pointed out that Hong Kong’s open investment environment has helped China and been used “as a conduit for closer ties with the United States and other advanced economies.”

“Our concern that Beijing could abuse Hong Kong’s special status is growing because the autonomy guaranteed to Hong Kong in the Sino-British Joint Declaration has eroded significantly in recent years,” according to their letter. “This trend is most evident in declining political and civil liberties for the Hong Kong people through abductions, the banning of a political party, expulsion of journalists, and the arbitrary jailing of peaceful protest leaders and activists.”