118th Congress

(Washington)—Representative Christopher Smith (R-NJ) and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), the Chair and Cochair, respectively of the bipartisan and bicameral Congressional-Executive Commission on China, released today a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken asking that he impose sanctions on the Hong Kong and People’s Republic of China officials responsible for the bounties placed on overseas activists using the authorities available under the Hong Kong Autonomy Act and the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act.

(Washington)—Representative Christopher Smith (R-NJ) and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), the Chair and Cochair, respectively, of the bipartisan and bicameral Congressional-Executive Commission (CECC), released today a letter sent to Attorney General Merrick Garland asking for additional investigation into the violence targeting groups protesting the human rights abuses by the People’s Republic of China during the APEC Leaders’ Summit in San Francisco. Following an investigation, the Chairs asked for a briefing on whether the violence was planned or instigated by “elements of the Chinese Communist Party or Chinese diplomats in the United States” and constitutes transnational repression.

(Washington)--Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), the Chair and Cochair, respectively, of the bipartisan and bicameral Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), issued the following statement on the trial of entrepreneur and democracy advocate Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong—who is being accused under the draconian National Security Law for colluding with “foreign forces” to endanger national security. The charges could carry a life sentence.

(Washington, D.C.)— Members of the bipartisan and bicameral Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) will conduct a press conference with advocates for human rights in China, who will talk about the violence and harassment by pro-CCP groups during the APEC Leaders’ Summit in San Francisco. Representative Christopher Smith (R-NJ), the CECC Chair, will be joined by Fengsuo Zhou of Human Rights in China, Anna Kwok of Hong Kong Democracy Council, Pema Doma of Students for a Free Tibet, Elfidar Iltebir of the Uyghur-American Association and other victims of violence and intimidation.

(Washington)--Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), the Chair and Cochair, respectively, of the bipartisan and bicameral Congressional-Executive Commission (CECC), issued the following statement with regard to videos showing China human rights advocates being beaten by pro-Chinese Communist Party (CCP) counter-protestors during San Francisco’s Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders’ summit last week:

(Washington)— Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), the Chair and Cochair respectively of the bipartisan and bicameral Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), held a hearing this week looking at the dominance of Chinese companies in the cobalt mining industry of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and how the exploitation of child and forced labor in this sector in the DRC impacts a global supply chain dependent on cobalt for a range of modern products.