The US Capitol building in Washington, DC. (Janes/Marc Selinger)
The US House of Representatives has backed a proposal that would prohibit the US Department of Defense (DoD) and its contractors from using a Chinese system that enables cargo shippers to share data.
Proponents of the legislation argue that the National Public Information Platform for Transportation and Logistics (LOGINK), which is overseen by China's Ministry of Transport, could enable the Chinese government to track US military equipment sent through commercial ports. Representative Michelle Steel, a California Republican, offered the measure.
The House approved the legislation on 14 July as part of a package of amendments to the fiscal year (FY) 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). It is unclear if the LOGINK language will ultimately become law, as the House NDAA will have to be reconciled with the version that is pending in the Senate.
In an 18 July statement provided to Janes, the US Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) expressed both sympathy for and caution towards the amendment. “Increasing the security of our supply chain and logistics is an ongoing and essential process,” said John Luddy, AIA's vice-president of national security policy. “Moving away from current systems should be done carefully to avoid unintended consequences like shortages, disruptions, personnel impacts, and even inflation.”
Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for China's embassy in Washington, DC, defended LOGINK in a 19 July statement to Janes, saying the platform promotes “effective co-ordination” in the global supply chain. He accused the United States of politicising international trade.
The US DoD had no immediate comment on the LOGINK legislation.
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