On April 8, 2021, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Ranking Member Jim Risch (R-Idaho) introduced the Strategic Competition Act of 2021. The bipartisan proposal will be raised for consideration by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during a legislative business meeting on April 14. In addition to addressing forced labor, forced sterilization, and other abuses in Xinjiang, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee provided the following outline summarizing key components of the legislation.

The Act:

  • “Bolsters the United States diplomatic strategy in addressing challenges posed by the Chinese government and reaffirms America’s commitment to its allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region and around the world, and calls for the United States to reassert its leadership within international organizations and other multilateral fora. Renews America’s commitment to allies and partners by prioritizing security assistance for the Indo-Pacific region, and strengthens U.S. diplomatic efforts to address challenges posed by China in the Western Hemisphere, Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, the Arctic, and Oceania.”
  • “Focuses on countering and confronting China’s predatory international economic behavior, and includes measures to track intellectual property violators, Chinese government subsidies, monitor Chinese use of Hong Kong to circumvent U.S. export controls, and track the presence of Chinese companies in U.S. capital markets. Directs the United States to provide technical assistance to countries working to counter foreign corrupt practices, and debt relief to the poorest countries who have requested forbearance due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
  • “Strengthens American competitiveness with investments in science and technology, global infrastructure development, digital connectivity and cybersecurity partnerships, and reinforces U.S. efforts to counter Chinese Communist Party influence and malign operations.”
  • “Calls for enhanced coordination and cooperation with allies on arms control in the face of China’s military modernization and expansion, and requires reporting on Chinese ballistic, hypersonic glide, and cruise missiles, conventional forces, nuclear, space, cyberspace and other strategic domains.”

The full text is available here.

For more information on actions addressing human rights and forced labor abuses, please see our other posts below or contact John Brew, Jeffrey Snyder, Frances Hadfield, or Clayton Kaier.

Forced Labor/U.K. Modern Slavery Act Archives | International Trade Law (cmtradelaw.com)

Xinjiang Archives | International Trade Law (cmtradelaw.com)

 

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Photo of John Brew John Brew

John Brew is the former chair of Crowell & Moring’s International Trade Group and a partner in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office.

John has extensive experience in import and export trade regulation, collaborating with corporations, trade associations, foreign governments, and nongovernmental organizations on…

John Brew is the former chair of Crowell & Moring’s International Trade Group and a partner in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office.

John has extensive experience in import and export trade regulation, collaborating with corporations, trade associations, foreign governments, and nongovernmental organizations on customs administration, enforcement, compliance litigation, legislation, and policy matters. He represents clients in proceedings at the administrative and judicial levels as well as before Congress and the international bureaucracies that handle customs and trade matters. John advises clients on all substantive import regulatory issues handled by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, such as classification, valuation, origin, marking, tariff preference programs, other agency regulations, admissibility, customs brokerage, Section 321, drawback, foreign trade zones, duty recovery programs, import restrictions, quotas, audits, prior disclosures, penalties, investigations, Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism and trade compliance programs, importations under bond, the Jones Act, and vessel repairs.

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Photo of Jeffrey L. Snyder Jeffrey L. Snyder

Since 1986, Jeff’s practice has concentrated on the U.S. regulation of international trade. Clients seek him out for troubleshooting and problem solving in cross-border transactions. Jeff advises on import, export, and sanctions laws. He develops approaches for multinationals to manage the impact of…

Since 1986, Jeff’s practice has concentrated on the U.S. regulation of international trade. Clients seek him out for troubleshooting and problem solving in cross-border transactions. Jeff advises on import, export, and sanctions laws. He develops approaches for multinationals to manage the impact of U.S. extraterritorial regulations. Jeff assists companies in day-to-day compliance with these laws, and with interventions — such as audits and investigations, and civil enforcement proceedings.

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