US Senators introduce bill to group democratic nations against China's threat

A bipartisan group of United States Senators led by Mark Warner and Bob Menendez have launched legislation to develop a partnership and technique among democratic countries to compete with the rising technological power of China as well as the threat it poses on the country. If passed, the legislation would be known as the “Democracy Technology Partnership Act”. 

The criteria for participation in the global partnership, according to the legislation which was introduced last month, requires the country to be a democratic national government with a stringent commitment to democratic values along with having an economy with advanced technology sectors, have previously demonstrated a record of interest or expressed interest in global cooperation and coordination with the United States on defence and intelligence issues. 

“Technological leadership by the world's major liberal-democratic nations collectively will be essential to safeguarding democratic institutions, norms, and values, and contributing to global peace and prosperity...,” the bill said.

"A unified approach by Like-minded nations is needed to counteract growing investments in, and deployments of, emerging technologies by authoritarian powers," it added as per ANI report.

What else is included in the bill?

Further, the legislation led by Warner and Menedez creates a $5 billion  International Technology Partnership Fund to back the joint research of projects between government research agencies, universities, businesses from partner nations or to make technological investments in third-country markets. 

The Democracy Technology Partnership Act will also establish a Public-Private Board termed the International Technology Partnership Advisory Board consisting of individuals with demonstrated expertise in the fields of emerging technologies and international trade to provide suggestions on implementation of the bill. 

According to the bill, the US Congress finds that "The 21st century will increasingly be defined by economic competition rooted in technological advances. Leaders in adopting emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, biotechnology, and next-generation telecommunications, and those who shape the use of such technologies, will garner economic, military, and political strength for decades.”

The legislation would also establish a United States interagency office at the State Department which will be responsible for creating a partnership among the democratic nations to help set the global standards and norms and even coordinate the export controls and investment screening on the emergence of critical technologies. 

“The PRC seeks to use technological superiority for national security, military-civil fusion, and economic gains, according to its strategic plans... The PRC seeks to advance in areas in which democratic countries currently have a technological advantage and move ahead in emerging technologies where China seeks a unique opportunity to overtake such countries," the bill read.