Testimonies & Speeches
Testimony of Chairman Dennis C. Shea before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, and Emerging Threats on May 21, 2014.
Research
China’s economic, diplomatic, and security relations with Caribbean countries are growing under Chinese President Xi Jinping, who appears to have elevated the region on Beijing’s foreign policy agenda. Economic opportunities and diplomatic concerns – namely competition with Taiwan for diplomatic recognition – drive Beijing’s involvement in the region. There are many opportunities for the United States to benefit from China’s economic engagement in the Caribbean. However, among Caribbean countries, the narrative that the United States has neglected the region while China has embraced it is pervasive. While this message is misleading (current U.S. trade and diplomatic ties with the region are more robust than those of China), its persistence could limit the effectiveness of U.S. policy in the Caribbean.
Hearings
This hearing will examine the legacy of the Tiananmen Square Massacre and the underlying economic, political, and social tensions that cause instability in China today, as well as the implications of these challenges for U.S. economic and security interests. The hearing will also assess China’s response to its internal security challenges, and the use of media and information controls to contain domestic unrest and manage public opinion.
Research
Bitcoin is changing the way the world thinks about money, and its impact is growing, especially in the United States. The driving force behind Bitcoin’s explosive growth in 2013 was the entry of the Chinese market, while Bitcoin’s subsequent slump in 2014 is largely derived from prohibitive measures issued by China’s central bank. If Chinese authorities continue their crackdown on Bitcoin, the global market and, by extension, the U.S. market, may be severely impacted.
Research
Despite major differences on cyberspace policy between the United States and China, a recent development at the United Nations illustrates basic areas of agreement. The United States and China were among 15 countries affirming the applicability of international law to cyberspace in a 2013 UN report. The same group will gather in 2014 to address some of the more challenging and divisive concepts regarding state responsibility and use of force in cyberspace. Any fractures in the debate at this meeting will likely reflect some of the major differences between the United States and China on cyberspace policy.
Hearings
This hearing will examine, among other things, China’s energy needs and clean energy policies, the recent developments in the U.S.-China clean energy cooperation, and the implications of such cooperation for the United States.