WASHINGTON, D.C. — House Republican Leadership Chairwoman Elise Stefanik today joined Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Chairman John Moolenaar in introducing the Washington Sister Cities Act to prohibit the District of Columbia from entering or maintaining sister city relationships with foreign adversarial regimes, including and most notably with the CCP.
The bill will prohibit the D.C. government from entering or continuing sister city relationships with jurisdictions located in foreign adversary countries. While the bill covers North Korea, Russia, and Iran, the primary focus is ending the Washington, D.C.-Beijing sister city relationship that last year ‘celebrated’ its 40th anniversary.
“The Chinese Communist Party has weaponized so-called ‘sister city’ partnerships to advance their malign disinformation campaign in Washington, providing China with a pathway to spy on our government and expand their disinformation campaign," said Chairwoman Stefanik. "I am proud to introduce critical legislation to terminate the D.C. government sister city relationship with Beijing, China which poses a threat to U.S. national security and prevent the District from entering into future sister city relationships with foreign adversary nations."
"In Washington D.C., our citizens enjoy freedom of speech, petition, and assembly. In Beijing, under the CCP’s rule, the Chinese people have no such rights," Chairman Moolenaar said. "Among all countries with which Washington, D.C. has sister city partnerships, China is uniquely marked by worsening human rights conditions, making this relationship particularly troubling."
Background:
Sister cities are designed to foster cultural ties, but China manages these ties through the United Front Work Department, which essentially operates as an influence and intelligence wing of the CCP.
Earlier this month, Chairman Moolenaar and the GOP Members of China Select Committee sent a letter to D.C. Mayor Bowser detailing concerns over the D.C.-Beijing relationship. The letter urged the Bowser Administration to reconsider Washington, D.C.’s sister city relationship with Beijing, China.
As our nation’s capital, Washington, D.C. should stand as a beacon of American values and principles. Maintaining ties with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) through its well-documented exploitation of sister city partnerships tarnishes the original intent of the program. Last year marked the 40th anniversary of this relationship, offering an opportune moment for reflection and reconsideration.
Read the bill HERE.
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