Nearly 200 years ago, Napoleon Bonaparte warned that “China is a sleeping giant, let her sleep, for when she wakes, she will shake the world.” As Communist China continues to spread its malign influence across the globe and adopt an increasingly aggressive posture, that two-century-old warning has become a reality.
The recent developments during the Chinese Communist Party’s Congress this fall should serve as a wake-up call to the international community. Despite decades of efforts to bring China into the family of nations, it has become clear Beijing will continue down the path of authoritarianism and increased global aggression. As Chinese President Xi Jinping secured an unprecedented third term, his endgame is to be de facto emperor for life. Not only did Xi solidify his power, but he also empowered his closest allies and those who have committed their unwavering support of him.
However, we are witnessing massive national protests in China not seen since the 1989 demonstrations in Tiananmen Square.
An insufficient socialist healthcare system coupled with extreme COVID-19 lockdowns and ineffective vaccines has created the perfect storm. The result is understandable national protests against the draconian policies Xi and the CCP have enacted. Xi told the Party Congress that the people support him and that he has earned the right to a third term. The people are speaking out and telling a different story.
While it may seem like the emperor has no clothes, facing growing protests, Xi will continue to hold on to power and suppress any dissent. This is a regime of oppression in which the party comes first, and Xi’s grip is firm.
While some believe that we are simply in a strategic competition with the CCP, the truth is we find ourselves in an adversarial competition against a determined autocracy that rejects the very values we most hold dear — freedom of speech, democracy, and fair elections. We must not allow China to upset the balance of global stability. This is a generational competition we cannot afford to lose. We are witnessing the rise of a hostile nation-state that is strategically opposed to the values of the free world. China has been clear about its intent of unification with Taiwan. As Xi proclaimed, “Chinese matters should be decided by the Chinese people. The issue of Taiwan is part of China’s domestic politics. Any foreign interference is intolerable.” He also said that supporting Taiwan is “playing with fire. Whoever plays with fire will get burnt.” The CCP’s aim is clear — to reunify with Taiwan, no matter the costs or global consequences.
Moreover, China is using debt-trap diplomacy around the globe to bring nations under its thumb — just look at the security pact Beijing has made with the Solomon Islands, islands liberated by my father’s generation in WWII, or the nearly 20 African nations that abstained from the United Nations vote condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine. And China is encroaching in the Western hemisphere. With ports on both sides of the Panama Canal, they continue to increase their influence in our backyard. Now is the time to work together with our allies in the region to ensure the safety and stability of our hemisphere.
Finally, we must enhance our export controls. We must end the certain outbound flow of capital investments in China that are, among other things, providing Beijing with the technology to boost its military and surveillance state. The CCP steals or copies our technology, and far too often, it is sold advanced U.S. technology that is then found in China’s military weapons and systems. In the most recent and disturbing instance, sold U.S. technology was then used in the development of a hypersonic missile.
American companies should be hesitant to invest in China further as lockdowns prevent productivity and the party puts itself above all else. Furthermore, continued U.S. investment in China poses a risk to our national security.
Put simply, Xi is a dangerous despot who must be contained. It’s time for the government and the private sector to work together to address this growing national security threat and win the next great global competition.
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Congressman Michael T. McCaul is serving his ninth term representing Texas’s 10th District in the United States Congress and is the lead Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. McCaul was recently reelected, and his 10th term as a member of Congress will start on Jan. 3, 2023.
