TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — South Dakota has drawn attention for advancing bills to curb Chinese influence and the state governor recently discussed the rationale at a forum hosted by a Virginia-based think tank, hoping to raise public awareness of the challenges.
There was concern among some Americans after the news of a Chinese spy balloon that flew across North American airspace from Jan. 28 to Feb. 4 was made public. Several U.S. states have begun considering imposing restrictions on accessing Chinese software due to national security concerns.
Among them is South Dakota, whose governor, Kristi Noem, shared her views on China and what her state has been doing to curb Chinese infiltration at a forum hosted by American First Policy Institute (AFPI) on Wednesday (Feb. 15). The state issued an executive order that came into effect in late 2022, including banning state employees from using TikTok on government devices and from doing business with Chinese-state affiliated entities, in addition to five countries also deemed not friendly to the U.S.
Speaking on Chinese influence, Noem, who ran a family ranch before dedicating herself to politics, claimed that China is trying to control the food supply in the U.S. by building up or acquiring American chemical and fertilizer companies, along with buying some farmland in the U.S. in the years from 2010 to 2020. Noem said that was a national security risk.
In a dialogue with AFPI Chair of the China Policy Initiative Steve Yates, she said the public is concerned about China flexing its muscles, its ongoing manipulation of currencies, and intellectual property infringements.
Yates said Americans are aware of the challenges from trade to human rights issues and want to know how their governments can respond to the challenges. He lauded South Dakota's efforts to address the challenges and serves as a role model for other states yet to act. Despite the challenges, however, Yates hoped for a continued conversation as an alternative to confrontations when engaging with China.