A recommendation has been made for the United States to launch a program akin to the Manhattan Project—the World War II-era nuclear development initiative—to develop Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and secure victory in the advanced technology race against China.
On Tuesday, the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC), a bipartisan advisory body to Congress, submitted its annual report to Congress. The report presented 32 recommendations for gaining strategic superiority over China.
The USCC recommended that Congress expand investments in artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum technologies, akin to a “Manhattan Project,” and strengthen export controls on China. In particular, the USCC emphasized the need to increase staffing at the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), the Commerce Department’s export control division, to enhance the effectiveness of export controls targeting China.
The USCC also suggested appointing a senior official to coordinate interagency efforts to secure bilateral and multilateral support for export control measures. Furthermore, it recommended forming a government joint task force, supervised by the White House National Security Advisor, to evaluate ways to restrict China’s acquisition and development of advanced technologies.
The commission advised Congress to draft legislation preventing federal funds from being invested in Chinese companies subject to export controls or linked to the Chinese military. It also called for establishing a “Foreign Investment Office” within the executive branch to oversee U.S. investments in countries of concern, including China.
Additionally, the USCC recommended creating a government task force led by the White House National Security Advisor to assess ways to prevent China from acquiring or developing advanced technologies. The commission suggested drafting legislation preventing federal funds from being invested in Chinese companies subject to export controls or linked to China’s military. It also recommended the establishment of a “Foreign Investment Office” within the executive branch to oversee U.S. investments in countries of concern, including China.
The report called on Congress to extend connected vehicle regulations to encompass industrial machinery, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, consumer electronics, and connected devices produced by Chinese companies. Moreover, it proposed a ban on importing specific technologies and services from Chinese-controlled companies, including humanoid robots and remotely controlled energy infrastructure products.
Further recommendations included requiring government approval for Chinese involvement in research and development by U.S.-based biotechnology companies and revoking China’s permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) status, subjecting it to annual scrutiny instead of automatic renewal.
The USCC also urged the empowerment of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to recall products from Chinese companies that fail to respond to information requests or voluntary recall efforts. Additionally, the commission recommended eliminating the duty-free threshold for imports purchased via e-commerce platforms, arguing that Chinese e-commerce sites like Temu and Shein exploit this rule to flood the U.S. market with low-cost goods.
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