Young and Merkley Introduce Bill to Investigate China’s Influence in Multilateral Organizations

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), both members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Chairman and Ranking Member of the Multilateral Institutions Subcommittee respectively, introduced legislation to instruct the U.S. Director of National Intelligence to examine China’s activity at the United Nations and other international organizations. 

As China’s influence grows in international organizations, the risk grows that China will undermine rather than advance multilateral solutions to pressing global challenges, such as human rights abuses, nuclear proliferation, pandemic disease, global economic crises, and climate change. The Young-Merkley legislation would require intelligence reports on Chinese objectives, tactics, and influence in international organizations.

“As the world leaders gather at the United Nations this week, it is a chance for the United States to reassert our strong commitment to multilateral engagement,” said Senator Young. “China is taking an aggressive stance at the UN to seize as much authority as others will allow. We must protect our interests while ensuring China is acting for the benefit of the UN and all of its members. We need the intelligence community to take a close look at these concerns and make sure we know where we stand. We can’t be asleep at the wheel as the host country and largest donor to the United Nations.”

“Between eroding Hong Kong’s autonomy and horrifically violating the human rights of millions of Uyghurs in Xinjiang, the global community has well-founded doubts regarding China’s willingness to defend human rights standards in international organizations,” said Senator Merkley. “This legislation is a critical step forward in examining China’s activity at the United Nations and other international organizations, to ensure that China’s rise does not undermine the ability of international organizations to protect human rights and facilitate global partnerships.”

For the full bill text, click here.