NEW DELHI: US legislators have voiced concerns regarding visa loopholes that permit Chinese nationals to enter Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) without stringent checks, potentially jeopardizing military security. A bipartisan group of 32 senators and representatives, including Iowa Senator Joni Ernst and Florida Representative Neal Dunn, criticized the Biden administration for its inaction on this matter.They fear these loopholes might enable Chinese espionage activities close to critical US military installations.
As per a Newsweek report, concern centers around the Visa Waiver Program sponsored by US Customs and Border Protection, allowing Chinese individuals to enter Guam via the CNMI without a conventional B-1 (business) or B-2 (tourism) visa. “The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has already proven they will stop at nothing to infiltrate the United States, and that threat is increasing every day as Chinese nationals use a visa loophole to gain access to our critical military installations in Guam,” said Senator Ernst, highlighting the urgency of the situation.
After a wait of over four months for a response, lawmakers received an explanation from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that didn’t address their security concerns. DHS explained that the Consolidated Natural Resources Act 2008 (CNRA) necessitates identifying countries that provide “significant economic benefit” to the CNMI through tourism. The People’s Republic of China was deemed to meet this criterion in 2009.
Despite the DHS’s assurance of vigilant screening and vetting duties to identify high-risk travelers, lawmakers remain unconvinced of the policy’s adequacy in preventing potential threats. Representative Dunn criticized the government’s stance as “willful ignorance,” emphasizing the need for stricter visa requirements for Chinese nationals entering the CNMI to deter CCP aggression effectively, the Newsweek report said.
The issue has garnered attention amid increasing flights between Hong Kong and Saipan, signaling a potential rise in visitors from China to the region. This development comes as national security experts warn of the risks posed by unauthorized access to military bases, referencing a recent incident where a Chinese national was taken into custody after driving onto the 29 Palms Marine Base in California without authorization.
As tensions between the US and China continue to escalate, the debate over the visa waiver program and its implications for national security and regional stability is expected to intensify. Lawmakers are calling for immediate action to close these visa loopholes and safeguard US military secrets and installations from potential espionage activities.
As per a Newsweek report, concern centers around the Visa Waiver Program sponsored by US Customs and Border Protection, allowing Chinese individuals to enter Guam via the CNMI without a conventional B-1 (business) or B-2 (tourism) visa. “The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has already proven they will stop at nothing to infiltrate the United States, and that threat is increasing every day as Chinese nationals use a visa loophole to gain access to our critical military installations in Guam,” said Senator Ernst, highlighting the urgency of the situation.
After a wait of over four months for a response, lawmakers received an explanation from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that didn’t address their security concerns. DHS explained that the Consolidated Natural Resources Act 2008 (CNRA) necessitates identifying countries that provide “significant economic benefit” to the CNMI through tourism. The People’s Republic of China was deemed to meet this criterion in 2009.
Despite the DHS’s assurance of vigilant screening and vetting duties to identify high-risk travelers, lawmakers remain unconvinced of the policy’s adequacy in preventing potential threats. Representative Dunn criticized the government’s stance as “willful ignorance,” emphasizing the need for stricter visa requirements for Chinese nationals entering the CNMI to deter CCP aggression effectively, the Newsweek report said.
The issue has garnered attention amid increasing flights between Hong Kong and Saipan, signaling a potential rise in visitors from China to the region. This development comes as national security experts warn of the risks posed by unauthorized access to military bases, referencing a recent incident where a Chinese national was taken into custody after driving onto the 29 Palms Marine Base in California without authorization.
As tensions between the US and China continue to escalate, the debate over the visa waiver program and its implications for national security and regional stability is expected to intensify. Lawmakers are calling for immediate action to close these visa loopholes and safeguard US military secrets and installations from potential espionage activities.