Tom Cotton Urges DOJ Probe of China-Linked Anti-AI Campaign Over $278 Million Network
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jun 10
Tom Cotton Urges DOJ Probe of China-Linked Anti-AI Campaign Over $278 Million Network
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 10
Summary
Cotton asked Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to investigate whether China-linked actors are illegally shaping U.S. opinion and policy against data centers and AI development, including possible Foreign Agents Registration Act violations.
A Bitcoin Policy Institute report released last week alleges three influence streams—Chinese state media, foreign-funded advocacy groups and organizations tied to Neville Roy Singham—have aligned to block or delay U.S. AI infrastructure.
The report and Cotton’s letter spotlight Singham, a Shanghai-based former tech entrepreneur, whose network allegedly funneled $278 million into nonprofits including CodePink, the People’s Forum, Tricontinental and BreakThrough News.
Cotton argues the campaign exploits concerns over electricity costs, water use and environmental impacts to slow U.S. computing expansion while China subsidizes up to half of energy costs for its own AI data centers.
The push comes as Washington warns the U.S.-China AI race will hinge on rapid buildout of power-hungry data centers, making domestic infrastructure a national security issue as well as an economic one.
Is China turning American environmental concerns into a strategic weapon to win the global AI race?
How can America distinguish genuine local activism from foreign campaigns designed to sabotage its technological future?
Senator Cotton Demands DOJ Probe: $278 Million China-Linked Logistics and Foreign Influence Threaten U.S. Security and Trade
Overview
Senator Tom Cotton has called on the Department of Justice to investigate China-linked last-mile delivery and logistics networks, such as those supporting Shein and Temu, due to concerns over economic threats and national security risks. These companies are accused of exploiting the de minimis trade rule, allowing goods under $800 to enter the U.S. duty-free, which puts American businesses at a disadvantage and may lead to job losses. There are also fears that large amounts of consumer data collected by these platforms could be accessed by the Chinese government, raising risks of espionage and intellectual property theft. While some U.S. logistics providers support the investigation, Shein and Temu deny any wrongdoing and stress their compliance with U.S. laws.