US, European Lawmakers Issue Joint Statement: Warn of China's Attempts to Divide Democratic Countries
The US House Select Committee on the CCP held a roundtable with delegates from the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) this week and issued a joint statement condemning the CCP’s attempts to undermine the global order, emphasizing that democracies must unite to confront authoritarianism, and clearly expressing support for Taiwan as a “beacon of democracy” and “an important partner of the United States.”
The IPAC delegates who attended the meeting came from a range of democracies, including the United Kingdom, Slovakia, Germany, and the Netherlands. The meeting was chaired by John Moolenaar, with senior US House member Raja Krishnamoorthi, also a member of IPAC.
In addition, several members of the US Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) also took part in the roundtable discussion.
The joint statement released on Friday, May 23, discussed a number of important issues, including strategies to counter the expansion of authoritarianism, global security and trade issues, and support for Taiwan.
China Seen as Trying to Divide Democratic Countries, World Must Unite
In his statement, Moolenaar asserted:
“The CCP is intensifying its efforts to divide democratic countries and exploit the gaps between us. This is why today’s IPAC roundtable is so important.”
He added that through transatlantic unity, democratic countries can come together to protect our shared institutions and values, and ensure that the 21st-century international order is led by free countries—not authoritarian regimes.
Dutch MP and IPAC co-chair Jan Paternotte echoed this sentiment: “When democratic countries are divided, the aggression of authoritarian regimes becomes more rampant.”
He also emphasized that this shared commitment reflects the unwavering determination of legislators on both sides of the Atlantic to defend freedom and counter the CCP’s infiltration.
In addition to Moolenaar and Krishnamoorthi, the statement was signed by several other members of the US Congress, including Neal Dunn, Dusty Johnson, and Dan Newhouse.
Full text of the Joint Statement
As members of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China Policy (IPAC), the US House of Representatives Special Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, and the US Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), we reaffirm our shared commitment to further strengthening cooperation among democratic countries in the face of the increasingly serious challenges posed by China under the control of the Communist Party.
The CCP is currently undertaking a series of systematic moves aimed at undermining democracy, suppressing open societies, and imposing its will on countries through foreign interference, strategic investment, and aggressive military action. Its actions in the Taiwan Strait, its support for Russia in the war in Ukraine, its activities in the Indo-Pacific region, and its influence in international institutions reflect its intent to undermine the global order that has sustained global stability for decades.
In the face of rising authoritarianism, there must be no division among democratic countries. Therefore, we are committed to deepening cooperation across the Atlantic and across the region to safeguard shared values, strengthen collective resilience, and ensure that the free world is united in upholding peace and the rules-based international order.
This is a challenge that spans generations. But with a firm stance and determination, we can face this threat together—and leave a legacy of freedom and security to future generations. (jhn/yn)
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