Rubio Demands American Technology Not be Exported for Chinese Military Capabilities

Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Congressman Ronny Jackson (R-TX) have joined Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) in requesting that exports of American technology not be sent to Chinese drone companies.

The company in question is Da Jiang Innovations (DJI), a resident of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security’s (BIS) Entity List after it allegedly “facilitated widespread human rights abuses in the PRC (People’s Republic of China).”

In a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, the elected officials wrote that the U.S. should not be enabling its adversaries.

“We are writing you today with concerns that U.S. companies are exporting critical technology to Da Jiang Innovations (DJI), a PRC drone company, that aids our adversaries in carrying out attacks on America’s closest allies … DJI was put on the Entity List in 2020 because it facilitated widespread human rights abuses in the PRC to surveil and monitor Chinese Communist Party (CCP) detention camps in Xinjiang,” penned Sen. Rubio, Rep. Jackson and the legislators.

They continued, “This listing recognizes that DJI works against America’s national security interests, and the issuance of export control licenses to DJI should be prohibited to ensure it cannot benefit from American innovation and ingenuity.”

In the letter to Secretary Austin, the lawmakers emphasized the notion DJI’s influence reaches America’s adversaries “from Eastern Europe to Israel.”

Moreover, they stated, “In addition to aiding the CCP in the brutal oppression of the Uyghur population in Xinjiang, DJI drones have been exported to America’s adversaries for military purposes, in violation of U.S. export laws and sanctions. Most recently, open-source reporting has shown that on October 7, 2023, Hamas used DJI drones to disable Israeli surveillance systems and drop munitions on Israeli forces on the Gaza border.”

The legislators requested that the Department of Defense (DoD) brief Members of Congress on their national security review process as well as their final recommendations.

In the concluding remarks, the letter said, “The Entity List is intended to prohibit American companies from exporting technology that will enable our adversaries to advance their ability to undermine U.S. national security. However, America’s adversaries are using DJI drones that contain American cutting-edge technology to harm U.S. national security interests and the security of U.S. partners.”

Sen. Rubio and the lawmakers requested that Secretary Austin provide his response by Jan. 15, 2024.