September 8, 2024
Although The China Initiative was designed to address national security concerns, it ended up being used for racial profiling and unjust prosecutions. This initiative unfairly targeted Chinese American and immigrant scholars, scientists, and researchers, causing significant harm to their lives and careers. Reports, such as this Proceedings of National Academy of Science report, highlighted the chilling effect it had on Asian Americans, preventing them from doing normal activities due to fear of being wrongly targeted.
Even though the China Initiative was terminated in February 2022, there is an effort to bring the harmful legislation back. The proposed H.R. 1398, also known as the Protect America’s Innovation and Economic Security from CCP Act of 2024, along with its inclusion in the H.R. 9026 poses a threat by potentially reviving the initiative under a different image.
This resurgence is deeply concerning. The Biden administration’s review found the China Initiative to be an ineffective and discriminatory approach to national security. Reinstating such a program would not only undermine our values of fairness and justice but also further damage the trust and well-being of our Asian American communities.
AYR joins a coalition letter led by Asian American Scholar Forum, Stop AAPI Hate, Asian Americans Advancing Justice. We urge you to join us in opposing these legislative efforts. Let’s stand together to ensure that this harmful program does not return and to continue to protect the rights and contributions of all scholars and researchers in our nation.