U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama and Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee have sent a letter to Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser seeking clarification about the city’s Sister City relationship with Beijing. The inquiry follows the removal of Beijing from the District’s official list of sister cities in August, a change that was made without public announcement.
“We are writing to inquire about the District’s Sister City relationship with Beijing, China. Earlier this year, Washington, D.C. was listed as having an active sister city agreement with Beijing on the official D.C. Office of the Secretary website. However, as of August, the publicized list no longer includes Beijing. Given the national security implications, we believe it is important to ensure that all formal and informal agreements between U.S. and foreign municipalities are not exploited by foreign governments—particularly the People’s Republic of China—as vehicles to advance soft-power objectives, disseminate propaganda, or suppress dissenting voices,” wrote the Senators.
The letter was also signed by Senators Ted Budd (R-NC), Tom Cotton (R-AR), and Rick Scott (R-FL).
In their correspondence addressed to Mayor Bowser, the senators requested information regarding whether the agreement has been formally ended or only suspended; documentation related to any agreements between Washington, D.C., and Chinese governmental entities; and details on whether other international partnerships are under review for potential risks.
“We write to inquire about the District’s sister city relationship with Beijing, China. Earlier this year, Washington, D.C. was listed as having an active sister city agreement with Beijing on the official D.C. Office of the Secretary website.1 However, as of August, the publicized list no longer includes Beijing. Given the national security implications, we believe it is important to ensure that all formal and informal agreements between U.S. and foreign municipalities are not exploited by foreign governments—particularly the People’s Republic of China—as vehicles to advance soft-power objectives, disseminate propaganda, or suppress dissenting voices. We are certain you share our commitment to protecting U.S. communities from potential foreign influence and safeguarding American interests.
To that end, we request information on the following:
(1) whether the District’s sister city agreement with Beijing has been formally terminated or merely suspended;
(2) a copy of any memorandum of understanding, contract, or agreement—past or present— between the District of Columbia and any Chinese governmental entity, including the City of Beijing; and
(3) whether the District is currently reviewing or reassessing other international partnerships to ensure mitigation against potential risks.
We look forward to your prompt response. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,”
Senator Tuberville serves on several Senate committees including Armed Services; Agriculture; Veterans’ Affairs; Health Education Labor & Pensions (HELP); and Aging.
