China Policy Initiative is an initiative of the right-of-center America First Policy Institute (AFPI) that seeks to advance policies that reverse decades of American foreign policy that the initiative says have “accommodated” the rise of the Communist-ruled People’s Republic of China and nurtured China as an “existential rival” to the United States without war. ¹

Launched in February 2022, China Policy Initiative draws from all 21 AFPI policy centers to research and identify new threats from the Chinese Communist Party with a focus on issues including intellectual property theft, economic and cultural influence, and the origins of the COVID-19 virus. ²

Former Deputy Assistant to Vice President Dick Cheney for National Security Affairs Stephen Yates is the chair of the China Policy Initiative. ³

History and Leadership

The China Policy Initiative was launched by the right-of-center policy think tank and advocacy group America First Policy Institute (AFPI) in February 2022. ⁴

Stephen Yates is the chair of the China Policy Initiative. Previously Yates worked in the White House as deputy assistant to Vice President Dick Cheney for national security affairs during the George W. Bush administration. Yates has worked at the National Security Agency and the right-of-center Heritage Foundation. From August 2014 to 2017, Yates was the chairman of the Idaho Republican Party. ⁵

Activities and Funding

China Policy Initiative is an initiative of the right-of-center America First Policy Institute. China Policy Initiative seeks to advance policies that reverse decades of American foreign policy that the initiative says have “accommodated” the rise of Communist-ruled China and nurtured China as an “existential rival” to the United States without war. ⁶

According to AFPI Vice Chairman Larry Kudlow, the China Policy Initiative also exists to raise the awareness of the threats posed by China for policymakers, investors, and the American people. ⁷

China Policy Initiative draws expertise from all 21 policy centers within AFPI to research and identify new threats emerging from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Its issues include intellectual property theft; Chinese actions toward Wall Street, Hollywood, and major cultural institutions; and the origins of the COVID-19 virus. ⁸ China Policy Initiative also releases daily information highlighting AFPI’s research on different threats posed by the CCP and identifying policy solutions to address these threats. ⁹

In 2022, China Policy Initiative launched a report identifying the “Olympic-Sized Threat” that the U.S. faces from China. China Policy Initiative also hosted an event regarding the strategic implications of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics that featured former Acting U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf and U.S. Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL). ¹⁰

China Policy Initiative has published articles and reports on topics including Chinese President Xi Jinping’s consolidation of power in October 2022, ¹¹ protection of U.S. infrastructure from CCP ownership, ¹² Chinese ownership of U.S. agricultural land, ¹³ divestiture of American university endowments from CCP-linked firms, ¹⁴ religious persecution in China, ¹⁵ and the People’s Republic of China’s human rights abuses. ¹⁶

China Policy Initiative director Steve Yates has criticized Chinese President Xi Jinping’s policy changes following the 2022 Chinese Communist Party Congress ¹⁷ and challenged the alleged activities of CCP-linked law enforcement entities on U.S. soil. ¹⁸

1. “America First Policy Institute Launches China Policy Initiative.” America First Policy Institute. February 3, 2022. Accessed November 6, 2022. https://americafirstpolicy.com/latest/america-first-policy-institute-launches-china-policy-initiative.
2. “America First Policy Institute Launches China Policy Initiative.” America First Policy Institute. February 3, 2022. Accessed November 2, 2022. https://americafirstpolicy.com/latest/america-first-policy-institute-launches-china-policy-initiative.
3. Stephen Yates and Adam Savit. “Xi’s Brazen Power Consolidation Shows Us Why Strengthening America Must Be Our First Priority in Containing Chinese Authoritarianism.” America First Policy Institute. November 1, 2022. Accessed November 2, 2022. https://americafirstpolicy.com/latest/20221101-xis-brazen-power-consolidation-shows-us-why-strengthening-america-must-be-our-first-priority-in-containing-chinese-authoritarianism
4. “America First Policy Institute Launches China Policy Initiative.” America First Policy Institute. February 3, 2022. Accessed November 2, 2022. https://americafirstpolicy.com/latest/america-first-policy-institute-launches-china-policy-initiative.
5.  Stephen Yates and Adam Savit. “Xi’s Brazen Power Consolidation Shows Us Why Strengthening America Must Be Our First Priority in Containing Chinese Authoritarianism.” America First Policy Institute. November 1, 2022. Accessed November 2, 2022. https://americafirstpolicy.com/latest/20221101-xis-brazen-power-consolidation-shows-us-why-strengthening-america-must-be-our-first-priority-in-containing-chinese-authoritarianism.
6. “America First Policy Institute Launches China Policy Initiative.” America First Policy Institute. February 3, 2022. Accessed November 6, 2022. https://americafirstpolicy.com/latest/america-first-policy-institute-launches-china-policy-initiative.
7. “Statements from AFPI’s Leadership.” America First Policy Institute. Accessed November 6, 2022. https://assets.americafirstpolicy.com/assets/uploads/Statements_from_Chairs_V5.pdf?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=e20ea59c-b410-47a7-b8ac-4ea0a484e21e./
8. “America First Policy Institute Launches China Policy Initiative.” America First Policy Institute. February 3, 2022. Accessed November 2, 2022. https://americafirstpolicy.com/latest/america-first-policy-institute-launches-china-policy-initiative.
9. ^[1] “America First Policy Institute Launches China Policy Initiative.” America First Policy Institute. February 3, 2022. Accessed November 6, 2022. https://americafirstpolicy.com/latest/america-first-policy-institute-launches-china-policy-initiative.
10. “China 2022: An Olympic-Sized Threat.” America First Policy Institute YouTube Channel. February 10, 2022. Accessed November 6, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gD6z5xf6uuo.
11. Stephen Yates and Adam Savit. “Xi’s Brazen Power Consolidation Shows Us Why Strengthening America Must Be Our First Priority in Containing Chinese Authoritarianism.” America First Policy Institute. November 1, 2022. Accessed November 6, 2022. https://americafirstpolicy.com/latest/20221101-xis-brazen-power-consolidation-shows-us-why-strengthening-america-must-be-our-first-priority-in-containing-chinese-authoritarianism.
12. Adam Savit and Royce Hood. “U.S. Infrastructure Security Requires Effective State-level Protection from Chinese Communist Party Ownership.” America First Policy Institute. September 6, 2022. Accessed November 6, 2022. https://americafirstpolicy.com/latest/20220906-u.s-infrastructure-security-requires-effective-state-level-protection-from-chinese-communist-party-ownership.
13. ^[1] Savit, Adam. “Chinese Communist Party Ownership of Agricultural Land is a Threat to America.” America First Policy Institute. October 13, 2022. Accessed November 6, 2022. https://americafirstpolicy.com/latest/20221013-chinese-communist-party-ownership-of-agricultural-land-is-a-threat-to-america.
14. ^[1] Savit, Adam. “To strengthen America and weaken the CCP, billion-dollar U.S. university endowments must divest from Chinese firms.” America First Policy Institute. May 12, 2022. Accessed November 6, 2022. https://americafirstpolicy.com/latest/20220512-to-strengthen-america-and-weaken-the-ccp-billion-dollar-u.s-university-endowments-must-divest-from-chinese-firms
15. Savit, Adam. “Persecution of 90-year-old Catholic cardinal underlines fragility of CCP, points to opening for America First tactics to contain Communist oppression.” America First Policy Institute. May 26, 2022. Accessed November 6, 2022. https://americafirstpolicy.com/latest/20220526-persecution-of-90-year-old-catholic-cardinal-underlines-fragility-of-ccp-points-to-opening-for-america-first-tactics-to-contain-communist-oppression.
16. Savit, Adam. “UN High Commissioner hands CCP propaganda victory, enables human rights abuses.” America First Policy Institute. June 10, 2022. Accessed November 6, 2022. https://americafirstpolicy.com/latest/20220610-un-high-commissioner-hands-ccp-propaganda-victory-enables-human-rights-abuses.
17. “Twitter Video.” Capitol Report_NTD Twitter Video. Posted October 28, 2022. Accessed November 6, 2022. https://twitter.com/capitolreport/status/1586009903939796994.
18. “Tweet.” Steve Yates Twitter. Posted October 26, 2022. Accessed November 6, 2022. https://twitter.com/YatesComms/status/1585287133480337409.