Committee on the Present Danger: China (CPDC) is an American foreign policy interest group with an anti-communist ideology focused on the existential and ideological threats posed to the United States and the West by Communist China.[1] It is the fourth and present iteration of the hawkish Committee on the Present Danger and unveiled on March 25, 2019.[2] The CPDC is focused on education and advocacy on the existential and ideological threat posed by Communist China to the United States.[3]
 | |
| Established | March 25, 2019 |
|---|---|
| Focus | anti-communist advocacy and public education |
| Chair | Brian Kennedy |
| Location | Washington , DC , United States |
| Website | www |
Founding
editThe organization was announced with Frank Gaffney, a former White House official under President Ronald Reagan, playing a key role. Its stated aim is to "educate and inform American citizens and policymakers about the existential threats presented from the Peoples Republic of China under the misrule of the Chinese Communist Party".[4] Between 2000 and 2023, there were 224 reported instances of Chinese espionage directed at the United States.[5] The CPDC takes the view that there is "no hope of coexistence with China as long as the Communist Party governs the country".[6]
In a statement on the launch of the committee, the Population Research Institute stated:
"The United States is in a new cold war. The Chinese Communist Party poses the greatest threat to both the United States and the world since the fall of the Soviet Union. Then, as now, the threat of a totalitarian regime with an evil ideology – one that is willing to kill 400 million of its own unborn children – must be stopped."[7]
Members of the Committee on the Present Danger: China (CPDC)
editThe Committee on the Present Danger: China lists a variety of members including the former politicians and national security professionals, White House officials, business leaders, and others:[8]
- Brian Kennedy, Chairman
- Frank Gaffney, Vice chairman
- Greg Autry
- Steve Bannon
- J. Kyle Bass
- William Bennett
- William G. Boykin
- José Cardenas
- Robert Charles
- Henry Cooper
- Kenneth DeGraffenreid
- Paula DeSutter
- Nicholas Eftimiades
- Sam Faddis
- James Fanell
- Kevin Freeman
- Bob Fu
- Richard Fisher
- Mark Helprin
- Rosemary Gibson
- Sasha Gong
- Chadwick R. Gore
- Lianchao Han
- Peter Huessy
- Bradley Johnson
- Phillip Karber
- Steven L. Kwast
- Ratko Knezevic
- Xiaoxu Sean Lin
- Tidal McCoy
- Robert Maness
- Richard Manning
- Rod Martin
- Faith McDonnell
- Robert McEwen
- Thomas McInerney
- John Mills
- Steven W. Mosher
- Reggie Littlejohn
- Jay Lucas
- Scott Perry
- Benedict Peters
- Miles Prentice
- Suzanne Scholte
- Arthur Waldron
- Frank Wolf
- R. James Woolsey Jr.
- Yang Jianli
Criticisms
editThe CPDC has been criticized as promoting a revival of Red Scare politics in the United States, and for the involvement of Frank Gaffney and activist Steve Bannon.[1][9] David Skidmore, writing for The Diplomat, described it as the latest instance of "what was once referred to as the 'military-industrial complex'" influencing policy.[9] Charles W. Freeman Jr. at the Watson Institute called the CPDC "a Who's Who of contemporary wing-nuts, very few of whom have any expertise at all about China and most of whom represent ideological causes only peripherally connected to it."[4]
References
edit- ^ a b Swanson, Ana (July 20, 2019). "A New Red Scare Is Reshaping Washington". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 20, 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
- ^ Rogin, Josh (April 10, 2019). "China hawks call on America to fight a new Cold War". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on June 17, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
- ^ Wu, Wendy (March 26, 2019). "Cold War is back: Bannon helps revive U.S. committee to target 'aggressive totalitarian foe' China". Politico. Archived from the original on July 12, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
- ^ a b Carden, James (August 5, 2019). "Steve Bannon's Foreign Policy Crusade Against China". The Nation. Archived from the original on December 5, 2019. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
- ^ "Survey of Chinese Espionage in the United States Since 2000 | Strategic Technologies Program | CSIS". www.csis.org. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
- ^ Skidmore, David (July 23, 2019). "The US Scare Campaign Against China". The Diplomat. Archived from the original on October 14, 2019. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
- ^ "Distinguished Team Launches the Committee on the Present Danger: China". PRI. 2019-03-28. Archived from the original on 2024-01-27. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
- ^ "Members". Committee on the Present Danger. Archived from the original on June 10, 2023. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
- ^ a b Skidmore, David (July 23, 2019). "The US Scare Campaign Against China: The political calculations behind exaggerating the 'present danger' – from the Cold War to today". The Diplomat. Archived from the original on October 14, 2019. Retrieved December 31, 2020.