A Republican House Intelligence Committee investigation has found China’s malign influence deepening across corporate America, including in the pharmaceutical, manufacturing, agriculture, entertainment, media, finance, sports, and technology sectors, Ranking Member Devin Nunes (R-CA) revealed Sunday.
The investigation is still ongoing, but Nunes — who announced the investigation on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” with Maria Bartiromo — said it has reached some preliminary conclusions.
The investigation has determined the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) — via its control over Chinese business firms — is manipulating and coercing U.S. businesses into sharing key technologies with China and helping Beijing acquire sensitive intellectual property, which benefits China-based firms at the expense of U.S. industry.
It has also found Chinese officials are giving guidance and direction to U.S. businesses to influence their business operations, investment strategy, and strategic directions to the benefit of China.
And it found China employs a wide range of initiatives to influence and shape events and public opinion to undermine U.S. national and economic security.
“American business writ large is entangled in this effort, wittingly and unwittingly,” according to a background paper on the investigation obtained by Breitbart News.
The CCP under President Xi Jinping has made no secret that it wants China to become the world’s dominant economic and military power by 2049.
In order to do that, the CCP has embarked on ambitious plans to acquire certain technologies key to that plan. For example, its Made in China 2025 plan outlines its goals to dominate certain critical technologies by 2025, and its current five-year plan focuses on scientific technological innovation and making advancements in the health, education, and financial services sectors.
The GOP-led investigation found CCP members serving as board members and senior executives in U.S. firms are advancing China’s goals to acquire technology and penetrate U.S. markets, and are prompting U.S. business to alter initiatives and strategies due to concerns of Chinese opposition.
It found China is using investment in American financial services to achieve their goals as well, particularly using American investment managers and banks to gain opportunities for strategic investments in U.S. startups, innovative technologies, biosciences, and manufacturing.
China is also using their influence on U.S. businesses to shape perceptions of China and to influence U.S. government decisions at the local, state, and federal executive and legislative levels to benefit Beijing, the investigation found.
For example, China will threaten to cancel contracts with U.S. firms and block access to Chinese markets to suppress negative comments about China by employees or executives. China will similarly threaten media organizations and entertainment firms to shape portrayal of China, the investigation found.
The investigation also highlighted China’s role in the U.S. supply chain for in key commercial products, medical supplies, pharmaceuticals, and rare earth minerals.
That role creates vulnerabilities in the overall U.S. supply chain and gives Beijing leverage over U.S. national security, the investigation found, which could be influence American decision making in a potential conflict.
The investigation is one of multiple efforts Republicans in the House and Senate have undertaken to confront the issue of Chinese efforts to undermine America.