Bill initiates COVID-19-related China sanctions

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) has introduced the COVID Act of 2021, authorizing sanctions against the Chinese Communist Party should it fail to allow a probe into the origins of COVID-19.

The sanctions and restrictions would be applied 90 days after enactment concerning a probe of suspected laboratories in Wuhan.

“The Chinese Communist Party does not want a full, forensic investigation into the origins of COVID-19,” Rubio said. “If they did, it would have happened at some point during the last 18 months. Instead of hoping the Chinese authorities will suddenly cooperate, the United States needs to compel them to cooperate. One obvious step in that direction is to cut off federal funding for research conducted with these state-run Chinese entities. Additionally, we must impose sanctions against the leadership of these entities and exact a personal cost. It is time for the U.S. to take action and lead an international response that settles for nothing less than a full forensic investigation of the Wuhan labs.”

The legislation would sanction leadership of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), including its more than 100 affiliated institutes and laboratories, 13 local branches, and two universities.

Additionally, the bill would require a prohibition on gain-of-function virus research cooperation between any individual or institution based in the United States receiving federal funding and any People’s Republic of China (PRC)-based individual or institution.