Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) signed on as a co-sponsor of a Republican-led bill aimed at fighting Chinese Communist Party (CCP) espionage by requiring a report on the Department of Justice (DOJ) efforts to counter Chinese covert activities.
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“For decades, the Chinese Communist Party has consistently worked to undermine our national security, weaken our economy and steal intellectual property,” said Sen. King in a statement last week.
“The first step in combatting any threat is to ensure we have a clear understanding of the facts. The bipartisan Countering Chinese Espionage Reporting Act would be a commonsense, invaluable step forward in countering these serious threats posed by Chinese agents. By using our own intelligence and annual reporting from the Department of Justice, we can better protect our communities and companies from foreign bad actors,” he added.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn) submitted the bill in May, along with co-sponsor Sen. Christopher Coons (D-Del). King signed on along with Sen. David McCormick (R-Penn) earlier this month.
The bill directs the Attorney General to compile a list within 90 days of its passage and submit a report to the Committee on the Judiciary detailing the DOJ’s efforts to counter CCP espionage. The report will include efforts to prevent Chinese theft of American intellectual property and potential threats from researchers in laboratories, universities, and industrial facilities.
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Earlier this month, two Chinese nationals were arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle a dangerous fungal agent into a laboratory at the University of Michigan, where one of them worked.
According to the Commission on the Theft of American Intellectual Property, the U.S. loses between $225-$600 billion each year as a result of Chinese intellectual property theft.
The DOJ report must also include an account of the resources and programs already used to combat CCP espionage, and the efficacy of those programs. It will also recount the efforts taken to defend the civil liberties and privacy of U.S. citizens in the course of anti-espionage programs.
The report will be made available publicly on the DOJ website, and a new report will be formulated every seven years.
King believes that the report will help federal authorities better formulate strategies to counter future CCP infiltration tactics.
In his statement, King cited various incidents of the CCP spying on or infiltrating the U.S., such as the infamous 2023 incident when President Joe Biden allowed a Chinese spy balloon to fly across the mainland U.S., and only shot it down after it had spent several days gathering information.
He also mentioned the illegal Chinese-operated marijuana farms across Maine with ties to the CCP.
Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (R-Wis.) submitted a bill of the same name in 2022, but that bill was never taken up for a vote in the House.
