Stop China IP Theft Act, the first step to hold China accountable

OPINION:

Throughout the years, Democrats and their media allies have consistently refused to criticize China’s crimes. They have sought to appease China’s leader, President Xi Jinping, so that they can avoid conflict.

Unfortunately, this tactic comes with a hidden cost.  

Now, the world’s eyes are once again on Beijing as the pinnacle of international sports returns to China for the 24th Winter Olympics. And while the games will no doubt be impressive, and the athletes deserving of praise for their great feats of sport, we cannot lose sight of the larger picture and what’s going on in China beyond the lens of the world’s cameras.

From genocide to slave labor, to internment camps, and even mysterious disappearances, the human rights abuses committed by China are more than enough to raise concern. And we also can’t forget the acts of international espionage to steal intellectual property and the deadly virus that was released from their shores.  

While a diplomatic boycott of the games was a good start, we must do more to hold China accountable in the future.  

We can start by addressing China’s continuous assault on the intellectual property of Americans and American companies. For decades, China has overtly recruited researchers, scientists and others to transfer information and intellectual capital to the Chinese government. The stolen intellectual property of Americans, often funded at taxpayer expense, has contributed to China’s global rise. 

In order to address this assault, the United States must take decisive action to show China that these and other atrocities will not be tolerated. I’ve introduced the Stop China IP Theft Act, as a first step to hold China accountable.  

This bill prohibits the issuance of visas to senior officials in the Chinese Communist Party, the spouses and children of these senior officials, members of the cabinet of the government of the People’s Republic of China, and active-duty members of the People’s Liberation Army of China until we can confirm that China has ceased sponsoring, funding, facilitating and actively working to support efforts to infringe on the intellectual property rights of citizens and companies of the United States. If China is going to steal our intellectual property, its leaders and their families should not have the privilege to enter into this country.

While this is just one step, it is a step in the right direction to begin to hold China accountable for its years of abuses. The Biden administration must do more to stand up to our great enemy in the east. 

• Debra Kay Lesko is an American politician and a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Arizona’s 8th congressional district since 2018.