People line up for visas outside the U.S. Embassy
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security released a strategic action plan on January 13 that emphasizes interdepartmental and international cooperation in the areas of immigration visas, transnational crime, economic trade, and human rights to address the threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party to the United States.
Additional Visa Restrictions May Be Proposed for Chinese Nationals
Since China joined the World Trade Organization, Beijing has used a variety of non-traditional means to enter the international system and take advantage of the facilities available under the rules-based international order to erode and attack U.S. national security and economic competitiveness, including exploitation of the U.S. immigration system, manipulation of open markets, and theft of U.S. intellectual property, the Department of Homeland Security said, according to Voice of America.
The action plan states that DHS agencies will work closely with the U.S. Department of State to identify high-risk visitors from China, particularly those students, scholars, and professionals involved in Chinese civil-military academic and scientific programs; deny immigration status to immigrant visa applicants who have ties to the Chinese Communist Party; and tighten controls on the EB-5 immigrant investor program to prevent certain Chinese nationals from exploiting loopholes in the program to steal U.S. intellectual property and prevent them from exerting adverse influence on U.S. companies.
DHS also hinted that the U.S. government may impose restrictions on Chinese science and technology (STEM) students graduating from U.S. colleges and universities using the Optional Practical Training (OPT) work program. The action plan states that DHS’ Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will work across departments to assess the effectiveness of the OPT program and make recommendations to DHS leadership on strengthening security controls as needed.
The plan also states that DHS will enhance the collection of information in the Electronic Visa Update System (EVUS) and increase the sharing of this data with other government departments. The U.S. has required all Chinese passport holders with B1/B2 visitor visas valid for up to 10 years to register with EVUS in order to be admitted to the U.S. since Nov. 29, 2016.
Beijing Urged to Cooperate in Repatriating Citizens to Curb China’s “Fox Hunt” in the U.S.
The Department of Homeland Security says there are 40,800 Chinese citizens in the United States who are in violation of U.S. immigration laws and need to be deported, and that China has ignored U.S. immigration laws and international guidelines by refusing to respond to 1,300 requests for deportation from the U.S. since 2017, resulting in immigration enforcement having to release more than 1,000 illegal Chinese immigrants, including many violent criminals.
The action plan says that if Beijing continues to refuse to cooperate, the U.S. side will hold those responsible accountable to consequences, including visa restrictions.
The Department of Homeland Security’s action plan states that the Department’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will continue to deter China from conducting “foxhunts” in the United States and will work with the FBI and Diplomatic Security Service to investigate individuals who provide support to “foxhunts,” using unfettered and even illegal methods to monitor, threaten, and harass Chinese citizens, U.S. citizens, and U.S. permanent residents in the United States.
Combating Transnational Drug Crimes Originating in China
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said that while Beijing authorities criminalized the production and trafficking of fentanyl in 2019, they have failed to adequately address the illicit supply chain from the Chinese chemical industry. In its action plan, the DHS said the Chinese chemical industry has contributed to the opioid crisis on U.S. soil by transiting drug precursor chemicals through drug cartels and other transnational criminal organizations, directly contributing to nearly 71,000 overdose deaths in the United States in 2019.
This strategic action plan says the United States will continue to detect, deter, intervene, and disrupt the infiltration of Chinese transnational criminal organizations into the Western Hemisphere through the Southwest U.S.-Mexico border, international shipments, and postal delivery, particularly those areas of Mexico that have direct flights with China to address transnational crime issues.
Continuing to Hold the Chinese Communist Party Accountable on Human Rights Issues
The Department of Homeland Security said it will continue its efforts to stop counterfeit goods, goods manufactured using forced labor and smuggled goods from China from entering the United States. The action plan says the Department of Homeland Security will continue to work with the State Department in an effort to identify Chinese citizens who have committed human rights violations in Xinjiang and place visa restrictions on them.
In light of China’s acquisition of a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council, DHS will support cross-sectoral international cooperation to highlight human rights violations in China at international venues such as the WTO, World Customs Organization, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the Universal Postal Union.
Internal Advocacy, External Cooperation
DHS said it will conduct an interagency study of the economic threat to the United States from Chinese SOEs to more fully understand, assess and articulate common behaviors, drivers and trends in Chinese SOE behavior, particularly to identify malicious behavior by Chinese SOEs in key regions such as Central and South America; and create a comprehensive risk assessment methodology that lists the top 10 Chinese SOEs of concern to U.S. policymakers.
In relation to blocking China’s access to sensitive technology, the action plan proposes a collaborative interdepartmental approach. DHS will work with the Department of Commerce to develop strategies and provide policy reports on expanding trade with like-minded partners such as Taiwan and India in the semiconductor/chip sector, the plan said.
The action plan says DHS will also work with the Commerce Department to publicize predatory and malicious business practices in China, such as forced labor, intellectual property theft, counterfeit goods and dumping, to U.S. small and medium-sized businesses. The department will also launch a nationwide campaign to inform the public about the potential harm to personal privacy, as well as economic and security, that can result from providing personal information to untrusted data service companies and platforms.
In terms of maritime security, the action plan emphasizes working with U.S. allies to counter China’s growing influence in the Arctic through the “Silk Road on Ice” project.
The action plan concludes by stating that the United States is in a new era of long-term competition with China (CCP) and that the growing threat from China (CCP) poses new risks to the American people, the American homeland, American security and prosperity, and the American way of life. The Department of Homeland Security is prepared to meet these challenges, while also being open to constructive, results-oriented engagement with China in areas where the two countries share common interests.
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