Donalds leads legislation to ban funding nuclear exchanges with China
WASHINGTON, D.C. (FLV) – Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., is leading congressional Republicans with new legislation to ban funding nuclear exchanges with China, according to the Daily Caller.
“China is our top hegemonic adversary. There’s no reason we should be sharing energy secrets with them,” Donalds said.
“This is simple. I’m proud to introduce the Protect American Energy from China Act for this reason. We must defend against the national security implications of a rising China.”
The legislation would prohibit the use of federal funds for implementing or administering any provision of the memorandum of understanding reached between the Secretary of Energy and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
In the memorandum of understanding on “cooperation in nuclear energy sciences and technologies” from 2011, the Department of Energy and the Chinese Academy of Sciences reached an understanding that included:
“Exchange of technically available public information, data and experience; exchange of technical and managerial personnel for visits and short-term assignments; exchange of equipment, materials and instrumentation; joint conferences, seminars or workshops” for the purpose of “peaceful uses of nuclear energy.”
The legislation would make it so “no federal funds may be made available to implement or administer any provision of the memorandum of understanding” from 2011.
As part of the agreement, Chinese officials have visited U.S. nuclear facilities and American scientists attended conferences in China.
China has repeatedly violated the agreement by redirecting civilian-use nuclear technology for military use, the Department of Energy said in 2018.
Secretary of Energy Rick Perry banned the export of two types of reactors in response to the violations, as well as any technology transfers to China General Nuclear.
China’s nuclear arsenal likely exceeds 400 operational nuclear warheads, according to the Arms Control Association, and it is “rapidly” expanding.
China currently operates 55 nuclear reactors and has 23 under construction, according to the World Nuclear Association. Five percent of the country’s consumed energy is nuclear.
