Korean-American U.S. Representative Michelle Park Steel Joins China Containment Task Force

[Asia Economy Reporter Haeyoung Kwon] Michelle Park Steel, a Korean-American congresswoman (Republican, California), will participate in the special committee established by the U.S. House of Representatives to find ways to win the competition against China.

Kevin McCarthy, the Republican Speaker of the House, announced on the 24th (local time) the 13 Republican members who will participate in the "Special Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party."

Representative Mike Gallagher (Wisconsin) was appointed as the chairman, and among the remaining 12 members, Steel was the only Asian American included.

Steel is a hardliner on China who has criticized human rights violations and supported Taiwan independence. Since the launch of the "Congressional-Executive Commission on China" (CECC) in 2021, she has criticized China's human rights abuses and trade policies. In October last year, she criticized the Biden administration's national security strategy for not supporting Taiwan independence and for insufficient efforts to deter China's aggressive actions. During the November midterm elections, she also pointed out the "pro-China" tendencies of her Democratic opponent, Taiwanese-American politician Jay Chen.

Other members of the special committee include Representatives Robert Wittman (Virginia), Blaine Luetkemeyer (Missouri), Andy Barr (Kentucky), Dan Newhouse (Washington), John Moolenaar (Michigan), Darin LaHood (Illinois), Neal Dunn (Florida), Jim Banks (Indiana), Dusty Johnson (South Dakota), Ashley Hinson (Iowa), and Carlos Gimenez (Florida).

Earlier, on the 10th (local time), the U.S. House decided to establish a special committee to seek ways to win the competition against China. Notably, more than half of the Democratic members voted in favor, leading to the launch of a "bipartisan China special committee." The Speaker of the House can appoint up to 16 members, with 7 to be consulted with the minority party leadership; however, the Democrats have not yet announced their members.

The special committee will have the authority to investigate the economic, technological, and security development status of the Chinese Communist Party, conduct inquiries related to competition with the U.S., and submit policy recommendations. Speaker Kevin McCarthy stated, "This committee will be a bipartisan committee, not a partisan one," and added, "It will address issues such as bringing jobs back from China, protecting intellectual property rights, and strengthening supply chains."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.