Washington, DC [US], July 18 (ANI): Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI), along with several Republican lawmakers, introduced the District of Columbia Sister City Integrity Act, a legislative move aimed at shielding the US capital from foreign adversary influence, especially from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), according to a statement released by the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (SCCCP).

The bill, introduced by Representative Moolenaar, Comer, Foxx, Stefanik, Dunn, Bilirakis, and Moran, would prohibit Washington, DC's local government from entering or maintaining Sister City relationships with jurisdictions located in countries designated as foreign adversaries under US law (10 USC SS 4872). These include China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.

'In Washington, DC, our citizens enjoy the rights to free speech and assembly, liberties the people of Beijing are denied under CCP rule,' Chairman Moolenaar stated in the SCCCP release. 'China stands out among DC's Sister City partners due to its ongoing human rights abuses, making this relationship especially dangerous.'

The SCCCP noted that this legislative push follows a letter from Chairman Moolenaar to DC Mayor Muriel Bowser urging an end to the city's Sister City relationship with Beijing. The letter described the relationship as a vector for CCP propaganda and emphasised the need to stand in solidarity with the Chinese people, not the regime that oppresses them.

Under the proposed bill, DC would be granted 180 days to terminate any active Sister City relationship with jurisdictions in adversary nations. Furthermore, federal funds would be withheld from the District if it continues diplomatic or international outreach without certifying full compliance with the Act.

The SCCCP emphasised the bill's importance, citing Washington, DC's strategic status as America's governmental and diplomatic hub. 'Allowing CCP-aligned jurisdictions to maintain symbolic ties to our capital poses real risks,' the Committee warned.

'The United States must remain vigilant and proactive in countering authoritarian influence, especially when it targets the heart of American democracy,' the SCCCP concluded. (ANI)