With the origins of COVID-19 still unclear, Republicans have been more than clear in regard to holding China accountable. Now, Rep. Carlos A. Gimenez (R-FL) has introduced the "Curbing China's Vaccine Diplomacy Act."
China has been able to capitalize on its presence in South America and the Pacific Islands as Gimenes tweets "China takes advantage of vaccine scarcity in Taiwan and Latin America by offering SINOVAC in exchange for political favors," the Congressman then added that "Advancing-U.S. -approved vaccine distribution around the world protects our strategic interests."
Gimenez was joined by fellow Republican and Florida Representative Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) who stated yesterday that he is "Proud to join @RepCarlos in introducing this important legislation that helps counter Communist China's malevolent influence in our hemisphere, while simultaneously assisting our friends in the region and a close ally, Taiwan."
During a recent meeting of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, Dr. R. Evan Ellis, Latin America Research Professor for the Strategic Studies Institute at the U.S. Army War College, points to Communist China’s social and economic power grab in the region.
“PRC’s (People’s Republic of China) engagement in Latin America is very harmful to the region’s prosperity, democracy and the strategic position of United States. As elsewhere, the Chinese state is pursuing a mostly economic-focused engagement although nonetheless strategic to orchestrate flows of wealth principally to its own benefit,” stated Ellis in his opening remarks.
China's latest vaccine distribution attempt is more of the same from China implements a sneaky power grab at best to get involved in the politics of the Western Hemisphere.
