The Breitbart News reports that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis unveiled a bill Monday to specifically clean up Chinese and foreign influence in Florida. The governor argued that the Chinese Communist Party seeks to influence domestic and international affairs in the United States and that it is “one of the most pervasive threats to the security and property of the United States” because its long-term goals and interests are “completely antithetical to the fundamental tenets of the American Republic.”
DeSantis said, “For the past decade, the CCP has made it its mission to steal intellectual property from U.S. businesses, governments and academic institutions as part of its global expansion.”
DeSantis believes that strategic safeguards must be in place to address the influence of the CCP and other foreign powers on the U.S. government, academia and economy. The first step is to clean up Communist influence in Florida’s Education system, and in addition to addressing Communist theft of American research, there must be “zero tolerance for clandestine foreign influence in American schools.
DeSantis specifically mentioned the Communist-funded Confucius Institute. He said that state agencies, state universities, public schools and local governments “must not use tax dollars to establish language and cultural programs with foreign governments, or to put the interests of foreign governments above those of the United States. With our proposal today, we will ensure that no organization like the Confucius Institute can gain a foothold in Florida’s institutions of higher education.” The Breitbart News reported that DeSantis’ proposal would also require “rigorous review” of foreign applications for key research positions.
Public institutions of higher education and state agencies would also be required to report any gifts of $50,000 or more from foreign governments or foreign persons. DeSantis warned that institutions that choose to withhold this information will pay a 105 percent penalty to the state of Florida. The attorney general has the authority to take action against institutions that do not comply.
DeSantis said the bill requires anyone seeking a grant or contract from the state in excess of $100,000 to disclose any “contact with the seven countries of concern, whether donations or grants received from those countries” and anything over $50,000 within the past five years needs to be reported.” The seven countries are, China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Syria and Venezuela.
DeSantis added, “It’s not only a matter of creating a barrier to foreign influence, but also a measure of sound fiscal management to ensure that tax revenues do not fall into the hands of Maduro, Kim Jong-un or the Chinese Communist Party, for example.”
In addition, DeSantis said he wants to “strengthen law enforcement’s ability to pursue corporate spies and enhance penalties for corporate espionage by foreign governments.” He plans to modernize Florida’s laws to also make theft of cloud technology a crime, “creating a third-degree felony for those who steal trade secrets and a second-degree felony for those who sell them.”
DeSantis added that if someone steals trade secrets for a foreign agent or entity, the conviction goes up a notch and “would result in a longer prison sentence.”
Gov. DeSantis said the law will protect Floridians from foreign influence and corporate espionage and is a “great first step. DeSantis said he looks forward to working with the Legislature to “get this bill into law.”
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