Research & Analysis

From Saturday to Monday, a bipartisan congressional delegation led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) was in China for talks with Chinese government officials, as well as members of the US and Chinese business community.

Congress is currently debating the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2024. In recent years, the NDAA has been a key vehicle for passing China-related legislation, and this year’s bill will be no different.

On July 21, the National Health Commission (NHC), along with nine other ministries, launched an unprecedented year-long campaign targeting corruption that is long-entrenched in its healthcare sector.

Last month, the 14th National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC), China’s top legislative body, released its five-year legislative plan for 2023 to 2028. The plan outlines a total of 130 legislative projects—the highest total since the NPCSC released its first five-year legislative plan in 1993, which had a total of 152 items.

This week, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) confirmed that he will lead a bipartisan congressional delegation to China, Japan, and South Korea next week. He will be accompanied by Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-ID), as well as senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), John Kennedy (R-LA), and Jon Ossoff (D-GA).

On Monday, the Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology published a final rule on the Federal Register detailing the guidelines for the proper utilization of funds under the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 (CHIPS). According to Commerce, the final rule seeks “to prevent funding provided through the program from being used to directly or indirectly benefit foreign countries of concern.”

On Tuesday, President Joe Biden addressed the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), covering a range of topics, including the US relationship with China. Biden emphasized that the United States seeks to “responsibly manage the competition” with China so that it does not tip into conflict.

The US-China Business Council conducted its annual Member Survey in summer 2023 and released the results in late September.

Over the weekend, President Joe Biden engaged in high-level discussions with world leaders at the G20 summit in India. While Chinese President Xi Jinping was notably absent, Biden did meet with China’s number two leader, Premier Li Qiang, and touted the new found communication channels between his administration and Chinese leadership.