View source for United States–China Economic and Security Review Commission

{{Short description|Independent agency of the United States government}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox government agency
| agency_name     = United States–China Economic and Security Review Commission
| type            = Congressional commission
| logo            = Seal of the United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission.png
| logo_width      = 
| logo_caption    = 
| seal            = 
| seal_width      = 
| seal_caption    = 
| picture         = 
| picture_width   = 
| picture_caption = 
| formed          = {{Start date and age|2000|10|30}}
| jurisdiction    = [[Federal government of the United States|United States federal government]]
| headquarters    = Washington, D.C.
| coordinates     = <!--{{coord|LATITUDE|LONGITUDE|type:landmark_region:US|display=inline,title}}-->
| budget          = 
| chief1_name     = Carolyn Bartholomew
| chief1_position = Chairman
| chief2_name     = Daniel Peck
| chief2_position = Executive Director
| website         = {{Official URL}}
}}

The '''United States–China Economic and Security Review Commission''' (informally, the '''U.S.–China Commission''', '''USCC''') is an independent commission of the [[United States government]] legislative branch. It was established on October 30, 2000, through the Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act.<ref name="Spence">§ 1238 of Title XII of {{USBill|106|hr|5408}}, the "Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001", enacted by reference by {{USStatute|106|398|114|1654|2000|10|30|hr|4205}}, codified at {{USC|22|7002}}</ref>

The USCC is responsible for providing recommendations to Congress based on their findings on bilateral trade with the [[People's Republic of China]], evaluating [[national security]] and trading risks in all industries and conducting research on China's actions. All these findings are discussed in their [[hearing (law)|hearings]], and submitted in an annual report or other published research throughout the year.<ref name="index">{{cite web |title=United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission |url=http://www.uscc.gov/index.php |website=USCC.gov |publisher=United States–China Economic and Security Review Commission |access-date=April 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081005134305/https://www.uscc.gov/index.php |archive-date=October 5, 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
 
The USCC directly reports to [[United States Congress|Congress]]—it is not a part of any other department or agency in the federal government. The USCC consists of 12 commissioners, a non-partisan staff, and facilities that were absorbed from the former U.S. Trade Deficit Review Commission. The commissioners are appointed to two-year terms by the majority and minority [[party leaders of the United States Senate|leaders]] of the [[U.S. Senate]], and by the [[speaker of the United States House of Representatives|speaker]] and minority [[party leaders of the United States House of Representatives|leader]] of the [[U.S. House of Representatives]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Fact Sheet |url=http://www.uscc.gov/about/facts.php |website=USCC.gov |publisher=United States–China Economic and Security Review Commission |access-date=April 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060427181955/https://www.uscc.gov/about/facts.php |archive-date=April 27, 2006 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The current head of the commission is Carolyn Bartholomew and the vice chairman is Robin Cleveland, who are responsible for organizing meetings with other commissioners. Each commissioner is entitled to one vote.<ref name="charter">{{cite web |title=Charter |url=https://www.uscc.gov/charter |website=USCC.gov |publisher=United States–China Economic and Security Review Commission |access-date=April 29, 2023}}</ref>

== History ==
The USCC staff and facilities are from former U.S. Trade Deficit Review Commission by the Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act of 2001. Since then, the USCC is responsible for overseeing [[trade deficit]] matters with China.<ref name="Spence" />

One reason the USCC was created was the U.S. government's belief that some of the current trades with China were in need of urgent attentions and corrections based on analyses, considering China's military modernizations, change of trade policy and media and information controls.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=De Graaff |first1=Naná |last2=Van Apeldoorn |first2=Bastiaan |date=January 2018 |title=US–China relations and the liberal world order: contending elites, colliding visions? |journal=[[International Affairs (journal)|International Affairs]] |volume=94 |issue=1 |pages=113–131 |doi=10.1093/ia/iix232 |s2cid=158666493 |s2cid-access=free|hdl=1871.1/b0a7c3da-bf7d-425f-a9ff-7a29a1ea417a |hdl-access=free }}</ref> The creation of the USCC (along with the [[Congressional-Executive Commission on China]]) was also a concession to political forces skeptical of China in order to obtain further support for [[permanent normal trade relations]] with China upon [[China and the World Trade Organization|its accession to the World Trade Organization]].<ref name=":05">{{Cite book |last=Lampton |first=David M. |title=Living U.S.-China Relations: From Cold War to Cold War |date=2024 |publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield]] |isbn=978-1-5381-8725-8 |location=Lanham, MD |pages= |author-link=David M. Lampton}}</ref>{{Rp|page=214}}

Its first annual report in 2002 found that China is and will be a major competitor of the U.S. and also concluded that China as the third-largest trading partner had extremely unbalanced trade relationship.<ref>{{cite report |date=July 2002 |title=Report to Congress of the U.S.–China Security Review Commission: The Natioinal Security Implications of the Economic Relationship Between the United States and China |url=https://www.uscc.gov/sites/default/files/annual_reports/2002%20Annual%20Report%20to%20Congress.pdf |location=Washington, D.C. |publisher=U.S. Government Publishing Office |pages=15–37 |access-date=April 29, 2023}}</ref> In the following years between 2004 and 2009, the USCC stated that China's undervalued currency, [[counterfeiting]] and [[piracy]], export subsidies and lack of protection of U.S. [[intellectual property right]]s were continually contributed to a growing trade deficit.<ref>{{cite report |date=June 2004 |title=2004 Report to Congress of the U.S.–China Economic and Security Review Commission |url=https://www.uscc.gov/sites/default/files/annual_reports/2004-Report-to-Congress.pdf |location=Washington, D.C. |publisher=U.S. Government Publishing Office |page=231 |access-date=April 29, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite report |date=November 2009 |title=2009 Report to Congress of the U.S.–China Economic and Security Review Commission |url=https://www.uscc.gov/sites/default/files/annual_reports/2009-Report-to-Congress.pdf |location=Washington, D.C. |publisher=U.S. Government Publishing Office |page=254 |access-date=April 29, 2023}}</ref>

The main focus for the commission is constantly changing around the eight main areas. However, the focused area from 2010 to 2020 was national security.<ref>{{cite book |last=Lampton |first=David M. |author-link=David M. Lampton |year=2001 |title=Same Bed, Different Dreams: Managing U.S.–China Relations, 1989–2000 |url=https://archive.org/details/samebeddifferent0000lamp |location=Berkeley |publisher=University of California Press |isbn=0-520-23462-6}}{{page needed|date=April 2023}}</ref><ref name="Zhang">{{cite journal |last=Zhang |first=Shengyong |date=2010 |title=The Perception of the U.S.–China Economic And Security Review Commission toward China and its Influence on Sino-U.S. Relations |url=https://web.uri.edu/iaics/files/12ShengyongZhang.pdf |journal=Intercultural Communication Studies |volume=XIX |issue=1 |pages=155–167 |s2cid=155468845 |access-date=April 29, 2023}}</ref>

In the 2020 annual report, the commission stated 10 keys recommendations but many of them are related to security versus purely economic-centered. The USCC argues the main direction of [[China–United States relations]] will be a "combination of containment and engagement".<ref>{{cite report |date=December 2020 |title=2020 Report to Congress of the U.S.–China Economic and Security Review Commission |url=https://www.uscc.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/2020_Annual_Report_to_Congress.pdf |location=Washington, D.C. |publisher=U.S. Government Publishing Office |pages=329–364 |access-date=April 29, 2023}}</ref> In its 2023 annual report, the USCC stated that "China now appears to view diplomacy with the United States primarily as a tool for forestalling and delaying U.S. pressure over a period of years while China moves ever further down the path of developing its own economic, military, and technological capabilities."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Iyengar |first=Rishi |date=2023-11-14 |title=What America's Top China Commission Is Worried About |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/11/14/biden-xi-meeting-apec-uscc-china-report/ |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=[[Foreign Policy]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Function ==

=== Annual report ===
The Commission is required by Congress to submit an annual report by December 1 every year.<ref name="Zhang" /> The USCC fulfills its mission by holding regular meetings with commission members to discuss recent related matters include write full analysis of eight focused parts,<ref name="charter" /> which are energy, U.S. [[capital market]], economic transfers, regional economics and security impacts, U.S.–China bilateral programs, weapon proliferation, [[World Trade Organization]] compliance and implications of restrictions on speech and information access in China. And provide conclusions and recommendations for legislative and administrative actions.<ref>{{cite web |title=Job Opportunities |url=https://www.uscc.gov/job-opportunities |website=USCC.gov |publisher=United States–China Economic and Security Review Commission |access-date=April 29, 2023}}</ref>

The public annual report can be download and accessed by the general public. The USCC provided its first annual report to Congress in 2002 and did not provide report in 2003. However, 7 research papers were provided in 2003. 18 annual reports were submitted until 2020 so far.<ref name="charter" />

=== Hearing ===
Multiple hearings are held every year with commissioners and outside government parties to discuss relevant matters. The first hearing was "China Trade/Sectoral and WTO Issues" on June 14, 2001.<ref>{{cite web |date=June 14, 2001 |title=Hearing: China Trade/Sectoral and WTO Issues |url=https://www.uscc.gov/hearings/hearing-china-tradesectoral-and-wto-issues |website=USCC.gov |publisher=United States–China Economic and Security Review Commission |access-date=April 29, 2023}}</ref> The latest hearing was held on April 15, 2021, the topic was "An Assessment of the CCP's Economic Ambitions, Plans, and Metrics of Success".<ref>{{cite web |date=April 15, 2021 |title=An Assessment of the CCP's Economic Ambitions, Plans, and Metrics of Success |url=https://www.uscc.gov/hearings/assessment-ccps-economic-ambitions-plans-and-metrics-success |website=USCC.gov |publisher=United States–China Economic and Security Review Commission |access-date=April 29, 2023}}</ref>

=== Research ===
Specific research topics are choosing according to the need of congress and popularity among general public, topics can be varying such as economics, trade, technology, military and security.<ref name="Zhang" />

The latest research is "China's Health System" in 2021,<ref>{{cite report |last=Nelson |first=Leyton |date=March 31, 2021 |title=China's Healthcare System: Addressing Capacity Shortfalls before and after COVID-19 |url=https://www.uscc.gov/sites/default/files/2021-03/Chinas_Healthcare_System-Addressing_Capacity_Shortfalls_before_and_after_COVID-19.pdf |publisher=United States–China Economic and Security Review Commission |access-date=April 29, 2023}}</ref> a few popular research papers are "China's Corporate Social Credit System" in 2020<ref>{{cite report |last=Schaefer |first=Kendra |date=November 16, 2020 |title=China's Corporate Social Credit System: Context, Competition, Technology and Geopolitics |url=https://www.uscc.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Chinas_Corporate_Social_Credit_System.pdf |publisher=United States–China Economic and Security Review Commission |access-date=April 29, 2023}}</ref> and "China's Internet of Things" in 2018.<ref>{{cite report |last1=Chen |first1=John |last2=Walz |first2=Emily |last3=Lafferty |first3=Brian |last4=McReynolds |first4=Joe |last5=Green |first5=Kieran |last6=Ray |first6=Jonathan |last7=Mulvenon |first7=James |date=October 2018 |title=China's Internet of Things |url=https://www.uscc.gov/sites/default/files/Research/SOSi_China%27s%20Internet%20of%20Things.pdf |publisher=United States–China Economic and Security Review Commission |access-date=April 29, 2023}}</ref> Those research papers can be parts of the annual reports.<ref name="Zhang" />

The USCC also entitled to access any information from the [[United States Department of Defense]], the [[Central Intelligence Agency]] and any other federal departments that the commission considers necessary to carry out its duties. Also, government staff including the speakers of Congress, senior federal members and people from military, security, industry and academia who are relevant to the hearings must cooperate with the USCC and attend to the hearings.<ref name="charter" />

== Structure ==
The USCC consists of 12 commission members and roughly 20 staff. Members have the same responsibility as the Trade Deficit Review Commission. Each commission members are appointed to a two-year term by the [[speaker of the United States House of Representatives|speaker of the House]], after consulting with majority of U.S. Senate's leaders.<ref name="index" /> Members are not later than 30 days after the date on which each new Congress convenes, and may be reappointed for other additional terms. Each member is entitled to one vote for decision-making and voting matters.<ref name="charter" /> Members must be U.S. citizens and have expertise in national security and U.S.–China relations.<ref name="members">{{cite web|title=Commission Members |url=https://www.uscc.gov/about-us/commission-members |website=USCC.gov |publisher=United States–China Economic and Security Review Commission |access-date=April 29, 2023}}</ref> Members are political appointees, but not members of Congress.<ref name=":05" />{{Rp|page=214}}

USCC members comprise a commission [[chairman]], [[vice chairman]] and ten other members.<ref name="members" /> The chair and vice chair are selected from among twelve members by equal voting.{{Citation needed|date=November 2021}}

== Commentary ==
According to academic [[Stephen S. Roach|Stephen Roach]], from 2000 to at least 2022, the commission has functioned as a high-profile forum for anti-China policy sentiments and has increased distrust towards China.<ref name=":04">{{Cite book |last=Roach |first=Stephen |url= |title=Accidental Conflict: America, China, and the Clash of False Narratives |date=2022 |publisher=[[Yale University Press]] |isbn=978-0-300-26901-7 |doi=10.2307/j.ctv2z0vv2v |jstor=j.ctv2z0vv2v |author-link=Stephen S. Roach |s2cid=252800309}}</ref>{{Rp|page=289}} Citing their creation as a political concession to China skeptics, academic [[David M. Lampton]] writes that from inception to at least 2024, the commission along with the Congressional-Executive Commission on China have functioned as perches for highly politicized appointees.<ref name=":05" />{{Rp|page=214}}

== See also ==
* [[United States House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website}}

{{China–United States relations}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:China–United States economic relations]]
[[Category:Foreign relations agencies of the United States]]
[[Category:United States national commissions]]