Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Young Kim (CA-40) delivered opening remarks at a House Foreign Affairs East Asia and Pacific Subcommittee hearing titled, “Missed Milestones: Evaluating the Last Four Years in the EAP Region and Unseized Opportunities under President Trump.”
Read her remarks below or watch here.
Welcome to the East Asia and Pacific Subcommittee’s hearing entitled, “Missed Milestones: Evaluating the Last Four Years in the EAP Region and Unseized Opportunities under President Trump.”
As we convene for the first hearing of the 119th Congress, our subcommittee must reflect on the past four years under the Biden-Harris administration.
First, we ask the tough questions that will help us chart the course forward and ensure that we address the region’s challenges head-on, including:
- Where did we go wrong on China policy? Why have we failed to enact punitive measures against the Chinese Communist Party when it was clearly warranted?
- Did we effectively leverage our allies and partnerships to raise greater awareness regarding regional issues?
- Have we successfully deterred the CCP and North Korea from advancing their dangerous agendas?
- Have our economic engagement goals been aligned with the demands and needs of our partners?
While the Biden-Harris administration’s strategy towards the CCP has been short-sighted in many ways, one thing has remained consistent across administrations: to engage effectively in the region, we must show up and work with our allies and partners.
Take, for example, the U.S. relationship with South Korea and Japan. These two nations have put aside their longstanding and unresolved historical disputes to tackle shared regional threats, including Kim Jong Un’s nuclear ambitions and Xi Jinping’s military and economic coercion. This is a perfect illustration of how collaboration, despite differences, is not only possible, but necessary.
And while progress has been made, this administration has tremendous opportunity to strengthen trilateral ties. No matter the changes in domestic policies, our engagement with South Korea and Japan, as well as with Quad and ASEAN partners, must remain steadfast. The threats posed by the CCP and North Korean regimes are not going away—neither should our commitment to these vital alliances.
Second, we cannot allow the global economy to yield to the CCP’s standards, nor can we lose the confidence of our allies and partners in American economic strength.
In my travels across the East Asia and Pacific region, the message was clear and consistent: The United States is the partner of choice. But without substantial economic incentives, our allies and friends are being forced into deeper trade dependency on Beijing and to accept its artificially cheap investment that always comes with a price.
The previous administration’s Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) has the potential to provide a path forward to economically engage with these nations. Our subcommittee now has jurisdiction over the development finance corporations, and we will use every tool at our disposal to ensure the U.S. remains an active and committed economic partner in the EAP region.
Third, we must continue our work on human rights.
We cannot ignore the ongoing human rights abuses in Xinjiang, where Xi Jinping directs the imprisonment of Uyghur Muslims and Tibetans to erase their culture and identity. The CCP’s transnational repression tactics have also spilled across borders, with the regime’s United Front Work Department harassing and intimidating pro-democracy activists right here on U.S. soil.
Meanwhile, Kim Jong Un continues to steal from his own people, subject them to torture and forced labor, and conduct unlawful and extrajudicial killings. Across southeast Asia, independent journalists and civilians face charges simply for exercising their right of free press and assembly.
America is safer and more prosperous when we put U.S. priorities first. Our allies and partners are better off when we show up for good.
With that, I am proud to have these witnesses before us today. Their insights will help us shape policies that will strengthen our position in the East Asia and Pacific region and advance our national interests.
Thank you.
