Former House China hawk warns Americans about the dangers of the CCP’s growing technological dominance

Former House China Hawk Issues Stark Warning on China’s Technological Dominance

In a recent interview on Fox News’ “Special Report,” former Representative Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., raised alarms about China’s increasing technological dominance. Gallagher, who previously chaired the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), emphasized the potential threats posed by China’s control over critical technology and supply chains.

China’s Strategic Control Over Global Technology

Gallagher highlighted concerns detailed in his recent Wall Street Journal op-ed, where he argued that the United States must meticulously map its supply chains to understand vulnerabilities. “On the modern battlefield, we need to not only know our adversary but know ourselves and map our supply chain in great detail,” Gallagher stated during the interview.

The former lawmaker pointed to Chinese-manufactured port cranes as a significant risk. According to Gallagher, these cranes, widespread in ports around the world, could be manipulated remotely to disrupt international commerce in the event of a conflict between the U.S. and China, particularly over Taiwan.

“The Biden administration recently warned that Chinese-made port cranes could be ‘controlled… from remote locations.’ European companies found that Chinese groups may have gained access to the systems that control cargo ships,” Gallagher wrote in his op-ed.

Bipartisan Support for Tougher Policies

Gallagher noted that there is bipartisan support in Congress for a more stringent approach to China. However, he criticized the Biden administration for assuming that U.S. interests align with those of the CCP in areas like artificial intelligence (AI). “I think that’s foolish. I think the only interest Xi Jinping has when it comes to AI is in dominating the technology and using it for dystopian totalitarian purposes,” Gallagher asserted.

He warned of a potential division of the global technology landscape into two distinct stacks: a “totalitarian tech stack” led by China and a “free world tech stack” led by democratic nations. The primary objective, according to Gallagher, is to ensure the dominance of the latter.

Gallagher also criticized the ossification of America’s defense industrial base, urging the leveraging of the country’s ability to produce cutting-edge software to revitalize the defense sector.

Recent Government Initiatives

In response to the growing threats, the Biden administration has taken steps to bolster the cybersecurity of U.S. ports and invest in port infrastructure. Earlier this year, the administration announced a series of measures aimed at strengthening these critical areas.

Additionally, the U.S. Commerce Department proposed banning Chinese and Russian-made software and hardware in autonomous vehicles due to national security concerns. “Cars today have cameras, microphones, GPS tracking, and other technologies connected to the internet. It doesn’t take much imagination to understand how a foreign adversary with access to this information could pose a serious risk to both our national security and the privacy of U.S. citizens,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo.

Looking Forward

The concerns raised by Gallagher highlight the urgent need for the U.S. to reassess its technological dependencies and strengthen its defense capabilities. With bipartisan support for a tougher stance on China, future policies may focus on minimizing vulnerabilities and ensuring the security of critical infrastructure.

As the technological race between the U.S. and China intensifies, the implications for global commerce and national security are profound. Ensuring that democratic nations maintain control over key technologies will be crucial in safeguarding the free world against totalitarian influence.

For more information on the Biden administration’s cybersecurity initiatives, visit the official White House briefing.