Direct Investigations on China, Take Action To Oppose Russia Act of 2022

The People’s Republic of China (in this section referred to as the “PRC”) and the Russian Federation have, in recent years, forged a closer relationship, based largely on their shared interest in challenging the rules-based international order, in an attempt to reshape that order into one that is more welcoming to their authoritarian systems of government.

On February 4, 2022, the PRC and Russian Federation issued a Joint Statement on the International Relations Entering a New Era and the Global Sustainable Development, which stated that “friendship between the two States has no limits” and that “there are no forbidden areas of cooperation”.

In their Joint Statement, the PRC and the Russian Federation reaffirmed support for state sovereignty and territorial integrity and called on all countries to protect international law.

Per media reporting, leading up to Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, United States officials held multiple meetings with PRC officials presenting intelligence showing Russian troop buildup around Ukraine and requested Chinese assistance in urging the Russian Federation not to attack Ukraine.

A March 2, 2022, New York Times article reported that senior Chinese officials told senior Russian officials in early February 2022 not to invade Ukraine before the end of the Winter Olympics in Beijing.

The New York Times reported that PRC officials later shared United States intelligence with Russia and stated that the United States “was trying to sow discord and that China would not try to impede Russian plans and actions”.

On February 21, 2022, President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation declared unilateral recognition of the Donetsk and Luhansk separatist regions of Ukraine and ordered Russian troops to enter those regions in a further invasion of Ukraine to carry out “peacekeeping functions”.

On February 24, 2022, Russian forces launched an unprovoked large-scale further invasion of Ukraine with the goal of taking over major cities, including the capital city of Kyiv, by military force.

The PRC’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson refused to categorize Russia’s attacks as an “invasion” and referred repeatedly to the Russian Federation’s statements on Ukraine.

On February 24, 2022, the PRC announced it would lift restrictions on wheat imports from Russia to ease the impact of sanctions on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Russian forces are reported to have targeted civilian population centers and launched attacks without regard for civilian casualties, some of which may constitute war crimes.

On March 2, 2022, the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court announced an investigation into possible war crimes committed in Ukraine after a referral by 39 member states.

On March 2, 2022, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi recognized the conflict in Ukraine as a “war” and expressed that China was “extremely concerned” about the harm to civilians in Ukraine.

the Government and entities associated with People’s Republic of China who assist the Russian Federation or Russian oligarchs in evading sanctions imposed following the Russian invasion of Ukraine are, in so doing, supporting the Russian Federation’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, including alleged war crimes committed by Russian Armed Forces against unarmed civilians; and

the President should impose sanctions on those entities found to have aided the Russian Federation or Russian oligarchs in evading sanctions imposed by the United States and allied nations following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Report— Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a report on entities in the People’s Republic of China that have assisted, or continue to assist, the Russian Federation in evading sanctions imposed by the United States following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Contents of report— The report under subsection (a) shall include each of the following:

Form of report— The report required by this section shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may contain a classified annex.

Initial briefing— Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, senior officials from the Department of State, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and other relevant Federal departments shall provide to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a briefing on efforts being taken by the United States to identify and sanction entities in the People’s Republic of China found to have assisted the Russian Federation in evading sanctions imposed by the United States following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Post-Report briefing— Not later than 30 days after the submission of the report required under section 4, senior officials from the Department of State, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and other relevant Federal departments shall provide to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a briefing on the contents of the report and steps being taken by the United States Government to pursue a strategy to confront Russian aggression in Ukraine by economically isolating the Russian Federation from outside support and economic assistance from the People’s Republic of China.

Form of briefing— A briefing under subsection (a) or (b)—