Mast Scolds Biden, as China Withholds American Technology via Commercial Licenses

Representative Brian Mast (R-FL) is sounding the alarm surrounding the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and their trustworthiness – or lack thereof – especially when it comes to technology.

As it pertains to the United States, Rep. Mast is calling for American technology to remain out of the hands of Chinese military capabilities. According to Mast’s recent blog post, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) approves more than 90% of the commercial licenses that the CCP applies for.

Rep. Mast stated, “Communist China cannot be trusted,” especially with American technology.

“If there’s any lesson we’ve learned through China’s decades-long quest to overtake the United States as the world’s superpower, it’s that,” said Mast. “And that’s why the Biden Administration needs to be using every tool available to keep American technology out of the hands of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).”

He went on to criticize President Joe Biden (D) for “neglecting” the issue.

“I recently chaired a hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Accountability to investigate why the Biden Administration is determined to use BIS to give away American’s [sic] strategic advantage,” said Mast.

He concluded, “Whether it’s the spy balloon that was built with American parts, or the CCP’s newest missile, keeping tech away from China is truly a matter of national security. The Biden Administration needs to step up and quit trying to appease our adversaries.”

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) echoed Mast's concerns in a letter to the Department of Defense (DoD).

In a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, the elected officials including Sen. Rubio, Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), and Congressman Ronny Jackson (R-TX) among others, wrote that the U.S. should not be enabling its adversaries.

“We are writing you today with concerns that U.S. companies are exporting critical technology to Da Jiang Innovations (DJI), a PRC drone company, that aids our adversaries in carrying out attacks on America’s closest allies … DJI was put on the Entity List in 2020 because it facilitated widespread human rights abuses in the PRC to surveil and monitor Chinese Communist Party (CCP) detention camps in Xinjiang,” penned Sen. Rubio, Rep. Jackson and the legislators.

They continued, “This listing recognizes that DJI works against America’s national security interests, and the issuance of export control licenses to DJI should be prohibited to ensure it cannot benefit from American innovation and ingenuity.”

Sen. Rubio and the lawmakers requested that Secretary Austin provide his response by Jan. 15, 2024.