April 05, 2020
Time for the US to declare independence from China
Americans now know they can’t rely on China or even our allies to produce the goods we need during a pandemic. That’s why it’s time for the United States government to do what it did during the Cold War — pioneer a new approach to manufacturing. One of the most frightening aspects of the coronavirus pandemic is the realization that the U.S. is no longer self-sufficient and cannot produce enough of the most basic items needed to protect against and fight the virus. From N95 face masks to ventilators to essential pharmaceuticals, America is dependent on China. Now we watch as China threatens U.S. shortages and uses such trade for geopolitical gain in Italy and elsewhere.
This reliance on China has been a growing concern of the national security community for years, as it watched U.S. dependence on China grow in a range of areas, from military equipment components to rare earth minerals. While we could afford to ignore that uncomfortable recognition for a while, today our short-term critical needs make that impossible.
Read the full article in The Washington Examiner.
More from CNAS
-
Can China’s Military Win the Tech War?
Commentary
The United States and its allies should take seriously Beijing’s efforts to militarize China’s technological base....
By Anja Manuel & Kathleen Hicks
-
Transcript from Emerging Concepts in Joint Command and Control
On Wednesday, May 20, 2020, the CNAS Technology and National Security Program hosted a virtual panel discussion on emerging concepts in joint command and control featuring Hon...
By Robert O. Work, Chris Dougherty & Paul Scharre
-
What the government should or should not do to help space industry
Commentary
The COVID-19 economic slowdown will have lasting implications on the new space sector. Yet the United States cannot afford another lost decade of commercial space innovation. ...
By Mikhail Grinberg
-
Transcript from Engagement and Competition: China, Technology, and Global Supply Chains with the Cyberspace Solarium Commission
Transcript
On March 26, 2020, the CNAS Technology and National Security Program and the Cyberspace Solarium Commission hosted a virtual panel discussion on "Engagement and Competition: C...
By Rep. Mike Gallagher, Samantha Ravich, John C. Inglis, Carrie Cordero & Martijn Rasser
