Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party

Floor Speech

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Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, there is broad recognition among Democrats and Republicans that Congress must adopt a whole-of-government approach in response to the intensifying great power competition between the United States and China.

The formation of the select committee is the Republicans' response to the China question. However, I do remain skeptical of the true intentions behind the formation of this committee, and I hope my Republican colleagues can approach this topic from a position of strength, not weakness, xenophobia, or fear.

A specific focus on strategic competition with China could be meaningful if the committee's work remains constructive, but I question why the work of this proposed select committee could not have been done through the current committees of jurisdiction.

With that being said, to be constructive, the committee should consider perspectives beyond the military domain that include the political, economic, military, cultural, and diplomatic implications of a potential U.S. response.

Republican leadership should also select Members to sit on this committee who are serious minded about the risks posed by China and not merely anti-China hawks yearning to isolate China through military might.

Most importantly, it is my hope that the committee will consider meaningful ways that we can promote a rules-based international order that the United States has spent considerable time and resources building up in the post-World War II era. We must leverage our soft- power tools and work cooperatively with our allies and other democratically aligned partners across the globe to achieve our ends.

Finally, unity at home is just as important to demonstrating the strength of our Nation as it is to project our strength abroad. Our strength is derived from our unwavering commitment to our democratic values, the cohesion of our alliances, the intellect and innovation of our people, and the shared prosperity of every American. What grants us currency with the world is our credibility at home as a reliable partner that provides a robust social safety net for its people and consistently supports democratic ideals.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my Republican colleagues to take this opportunity seriously. It is not simply enough to demonize and dehumanize our adversaries to align the world behind our democratic ideals. Let's use this select committee to show that we have unity and strength to outrival China and that we are good for more than just fearful rhetoric.

Until this point, my Republican colleagues have shown an unwillingness to avoid the vitriol that undermines a constructive approach to China, so I plan to vote ``no'' on this resolution. However, I hope we can move forward in a constructive way.

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