Democrats warn against potential reactivation of Trump-era China Initiative

A group of congressional Democrats is urging colleagues to stop the reinstatement of the China Initiative, a program under former President Trump that some argued racially profiled Asian scientists and academics in the U.S. 

The program, which was designed to stop China from stealing scientific and technological secrets, lapsed in 2022. 

“The Trump-era China Initiative undermined our nation’s scientific innovation and global partnerships while perpetuating the ‘forever foreigner’ stereotype and ruining the careers and lives of the innocent scholars targeted for investigations solely because of their Chinese ancestry,” Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.), chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, said in a statement.

In a letter first shared with NBC News Monday, legislators including Chu pointed to language in the House spending bill that calls for the China Initiative to be reestablished. 

In addition to Chu, Democrats Rep. Grace Meng (N.Y.) and Sen. Mazie Hirono (Hawaii) are leading the call that it would be “a backsliding for civil rights” to restart the program.

“In the more than three years that this program existed, federal prosecutors charged dozens of individuals with various types of fraud and conspiracy, acting as an agent of a foreign government, unlawful export, money laundering, and other charges,” the lawmakers said in the letter.

“Chinese American and Chinese researchers and scholars — who have made valuable contributions to science, technology, and academia in this country for decades — reported that they felt targeted by a racial profiling campaign and fearful of conducting research,” the lawmakers added.

The letter came after Republican lawmakers on the Appropriations Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee issued explanatory materials for H.R. 5893 that said ending the program was “irresponsible” and “unwise.”

“This decision is an example of weakness from a Justice Department more concerned with being politically correct than protecting Americans, and stands in stark contrast to the actions of other Federal agencies that have taken steps in recognition of the extraordinary long term threat China poses to the United States,” the explanatory materials said, according to the letter.

The materials then called on the Department of Justice’s National Security Division to reestablish an office focused on countering Chinese espionage and influence against American businesses, research institutions and academia.

Meng, first vice chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, said the program allowed the Department of Justice to direct “animosity, suspicion and bigotry toward Asian American researchers and scholars.”

“This was not only an attack on academic freedom; it was yet another expression of anti-Asian sentiment and scapegoating in the United States,” Meng said. “The China Initiative came at the expense of innocent Asian Americans, by questioning their loyalty and reinforcing negative and harmful stereotypes. We must not put targets on the backs of Asian American citizens and those who are lawfully working here. We cannot return to this.” 

NBC News reports that under the initiative, multiple Asian American academics and scientists were falsely accused of espionage. In 2021, the nonprofit Committee of 100 reported that more than 50 percent of scientists of Chinese descent in the U.S. “feel considerable fear and/or anxiety” that they are under government surveillance. 

In the letter, Democrats said they “recognize the utmost importance of national security and the threats to it,” but added that a budget is “a representation of our priorities and values.”

“While it is crucial that we protect our national security and intellectual property, codified discrimination is not the answer,” said Hirono, executive board member of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. 

“At a time when anti-Asian hate and violence is still rampant across the country, we must do everything we can to prevent programs like this — founded in racism and xenophobia — from happening again.” 

Meng, Chu and Hirono were joined by a dozen other congressional leaders, including Rep. Adam Schiff (Calif.), Sen. Tammy Duckworth (Ill.) and Sen. Raphael Warnock (Ga.), in calling for the provision to be removed from the bill.