U.S. House of Representatives, “Hearing on Chinese Influence on U.S. Foreign Policy Through U.S. Educational Institutions, Multilateral Organizations, and Corporate Amercia,” Feb. 14, 2006

CHINESE INFLUENCE ON U.S. FOREIGN POLICY THROUGH U.S. EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, MULTILATERAL ORGANIZATIONS AND CORPORATE AMERICA

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2006 House of Representatives, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Committee on International Relations, Washington, DC. The Subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 2:06 p.m., in room 2172, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Dana Rohrabacher (Chairman of the Subcommittee) presiding. Mr. ROHRABACHER. I call this meeting of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee

to order. I would like to begin this hearing by honoring the late Constantine Menges for his deep love of freedom and his long, dedicated history of fighting dictatorships and totalitarian regimes around the globe. And of course, I met Constantine and worked very closely with him in the Reagan White House. And at that time no one could ever have believed that Communism would disintegrate in the Soviet Bloc; no one except Constantine Menges, and then, after I talked to him, myself, of course. It gives me a great deal of pleasure to welcome all of our expert witnesses here today. And again I want to especially thank Mrs. Nancy Menges for testifying today on behalf of Constantine, and to share with us the key points and recommendations contained in Constantine's last book, China: The Gathering Threat, which was researched and written just prior to his death. And the book was published after his death, and you might say it was Constantine's final warning. And, as was Constantine's way, it was also his final suggestions of how to alter course, establish a plan, and save human freedom.

Americans have heard the facts about China's ominous military build-up, its brutal repression of Christians, Buddhists, and Falun Gong practitioners. It is stuffed with some of our most powerful military technology. It is a flaunting violation of intellectual property rights. And its working relationship with the world's most deadly and dangerous rogue regimes, such as North Korea, Iran, Sudan, and Burma. Americans know about China's spread of nuclear weapons technology to Pakistan and to North Korea, its threat against democratic Japan and Taiwan, and its destabilizing territorial claims against our fellow democracies, such as India and the Philippines. But the American people and my colleagues have heard little about why, how, and in what context all of these unchallenged displays of arrogance and power are taking place. I believe that by the end of the hearing, it will be evident that the Chinese Government's aim is no less than establishing China as the most powerful force anywhere in the world. They call it hegemony. As with past evils, the United States is the only force able to thwart this megalomaniacal goal. You know, by the way, I wrote that into the speech myself, just so I would learn it, just so I would be able to say that word, megalomaniacal. They know that people in the United States are acting as if we don't know and we don't care about this great threat that we face. We need to acknowledge the basic nature of the threat that we are confronting, and that is what this hearing is about.

Let us remember China's middle-kingdom role serves as a unifying foundation and a powerful motivation behind Chinese foreign and domestic policy. And yet, if you are an American policymaker or an academic, and you refer to this extraordinary fact, you will be ridiculed by mainstream policymakers, academics, corporate leaders, and media representatives.

Well, it is time to cut the obfuscation, and to face facts concerning this, the greatest long-term threat to the United States, and to the stability of the world. And with that, I would pass on to the Ranking Member, Mr. Delahunt, for any remarks he would like to make to open this hearing. 

Read the rest of the hearing report here.