Tom Malinowski: “I thank Chairman Engel for his leadership for human rights on this issue and on so many issues as the leader of our…”

“I thank Chairman Engel for his leadership for human rights on this issue and on so many issues as the leader of our committee, and for the very strong words that he just delivered on this important legislation, the Hong Kong People's Freedom and Choice Act. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the bipartisan sponsors, Representatives Kinzinger, Castro, and Curtis. I want to thank Ranking Member McCaul and leadership on both sides of the aisle for making the issue of Hong Kong and our efforts to provide safe haven for its people a bipartisan issue. As the gentleman mentioned, the China Task Force that he chaired, recommended an approach very similar to the one that we will be embracing here today. I think the reason why we are united on this issue is that, although we may sometimes use different language, we do have a common understanding of the challenge that the United States faces with respect to China. We understand that we are in a contest, not with China the country, not with the Chinese people, but with the Chinese Government, the Chinese Communist Party. It is a contest of ideas and ideals. It is about the most fundamental questions: how the world should be organized, whether there are any rules that apply to the most powerful nations and the most powerful governments, or whether those nations and governments can impose their will on anyone as they choose; a contest between democracy and kleptocracy.…”