Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) on Sept. 11 introduced a bill aimed at freeing political prisoners in China and Hong Kong.
“Advocating for political prisoners abroad is not just a moral obligation—it is central to America’s national interests,” Smith said in a statement.
Smith, cochair of the Congressional Executive Commission on China and member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has a substantial human rights record, including chairing more than 100 hearings on human rights abuses committed in China under the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
“The competition between the United States and the CCP is, in essence, a contest between freedom and repression,” he stated….