US engaged in strategic competition with China: White House

WASHINGTON: The Biden Administration sees the US as engaged in a strategic competition with China and technology is a central domain of it, the White House has said.

"This administration sees the United States as engaged in strategic competition with China, and technology is a central domain of that competition," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters at her daily news conference here on Friday.

Psaki said China's objective is to undercut America's long-standing technological advantage.

"We should have no illusions about China's objectives, which are to undercut America's long-standing technological advantage," she said.

The national security and economic consequences of allowing that to happen are simply unacceptable, she said, adding that this is what President Joe Biden conveys in his conversations with American partners and allies.

"But this is a major reason why the president is committed to making major investments in science and technology research and development, as well as supply chain security.

"We will leverage the full breadth of authorities available to us to protect US national and economic security interests," Psaki said.

However, Republican Senator Ted Cruz released a video, alleging that the Biden Administration is being soft on China.

"China poses the single greatest geopolitical threat to the United States over the next.

"One of the really disturbing patterns we've seen with Biden nominee after Biden nominee is a warm embrace of China," he alleged.

Senator Marsha Blackburn has introduced amendments to counter threats posed by Chinese Communist Party.

Senate Amendment 140 will make the funds available to counter Chinese educational and research-based espionage.

Recently, the Biden administration indicated it may provide amnesty to, or halt the investigations of, researchers and academics tied to China.

One of the reasons they gave for this is that the investigations are costly and resource-intensive, she said.

"The Biden administration's openness to providing amnesty for Chinese Communist Party-linked researchers in the United States endangers our national security.

"Many of these researchers are stealing sensitive American technology and trade secrets while spying for the Communist Party. Rooting out and investigating such threats must not be inhibited by a lack of resources," Blackburn said.